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THE  MODERN  WAY 

IN 

PICTURE  MAKING. 


4 


PUBLISHED  AS  AN  AID  TO  THE 
AMATEUR  PHOTOGRAPHER. 


Revised  Edition,  June ,  1907. 


Copyright,  1905. 

EASTMAN  KODAK  CO. 

ROCHESTER,  N,  Y. 


Index 


American  Aristo,  - 

- 

-  114-115 

Landscape  Photography, 

- 

- 

- 

27-28 

American  Platinum  Paper, 

- 

- 

-  I 22 -I 24 

Lantern  Slides, 

- 

- 

- 

-  142-143 

Angelo  Platinum  Paper, 

- 

* 

-  124-126 

Lenses,  - 

3-6 

Amateur  Portraiture  by  Flashlight,  - 

-  51-64 

Lighting,  -  -  -  - 

19,  26,  36,  40,  41,  43-46 

Animals,  Photographing 

- 

- 

-  157-159 

Lighting,  (Outdoor) 

- 

- 

26 

Aristo  Self  Toning, 

- 

-  - 

-  115-116 

Loading  with  Film, 

8 

Azo  Paper, 

- 

IO5-IO6 

Loading  with  Plates, 

- 

- 

9 

Backgrounds, 

- 

- 

-  50.  63 

Measures  and  Weights, 

- 

- 

- 

170 

Birds,  Photographing  - 

- 

- 

-  152-157 

Mounting, 

- 

- 

141 

Blue  Print  Paper,  - 

- 

- 

118-119 

Nature  with  a  Kodak,  - 

- 

-  I5O-I6O 

Bromide  Paper, 

- 

'  127-140 

Outdoor  Work, 

- 

- 

23-28,  49-50 

Cameras,  - 

3-9 

Over-Development, 

- 

- 

- 

87 

Camera,  Choice  of  - 

- 

- 

6-7 

Pictorial  Photography, 

- 

- 

- 

-  29-34 

Carbon  Printing,  (Sinclair) 

- 

- 

•  178-184 

Plain  Papers,  (Alfieri)  - 

- 

- 

- 

-  174-177 

Clouds,  - 

- 

- 

28,  165-168 

Platinum  Printing, 

- 

- 

- 

-  120-126 

Collodion  Paper,  - 

- 

- 

-  114-116 

Portrait  Attachments,  * 

* 

- 

71 

Combined  Bath, 

- 

-  108-no 

Portiaiture, 

-  35-48 

Composition,  - 

- 

- 

25 

Portraiture,  Flash  (Ritch) 

- 

- 

-  51-64 

Composition,  Simplicity  in 

(Stieglitz) 

-  161-164 

Portraiture,  Outdoor 

- 

- 

-  49-50 

Dark-Room  Development, 

- 

- 

si-91 

Posing,  - 

- 

- 

- 

36,  40-47 

Defective  Negatives, 

- 

- 

-  S6-89 

Printing,  -  -  -  - 

- 

* 

92- 

-140,  174-190 

Development,  - 

- 

- 

-  72-91 

Printing-Out  Papers, 

- 

- 

- 

107-II9-I2I 

Developing  with  Tank, 

- 

- 

78-80 

Reduction,  ... 

• 

* 

- 

-  43.  87 

Developer  Formulae, 

- 

-  77-78 

Reflectors, 

* 

- 

37,  63,  69 

Developing  Bromide  Paper,  - 

■ 

-  134-135 

Rising  Front,  - 

- 

21-22 

Diaphragms,  - 

- 

- 

-  n-13 

Salted  Papers, 

* 

- 

-  174-177 

Drying  Film  Negatives, 

- 

- 

80 

Self  Toning  Paper, 

- 

- 

- 

-  115-H6 

Enlarging  on  Bromide  Paper, 

-  - 

•  127-140 

Self  Toning  Collodion, 

- 

- 

115 

Exposure, 

- 

-  <•' 

10,  19,  50 

Separate  Bath, 

- 

- 

- 

-  IIO-III 

Ferro  Prussiate  Paper,  - 

- 

- 

-  118-119 

Sepia  Paper,  - 

- 

119 

Fish,  Photographing 

- 

- 

-  159-160 

Sepia  Tones  on  Bromide  Paper, 

* 

- 

139 

Fixing  Film  and  Plates, 

- 

- 

79 

Sepia  Tones  on  Velox,  - 

- 

“ 

101 

Fixing  Velox, 

- 

- 

99 

Solio.  - 

Flashlight  Work,  - 

- 

- 

-  51-70 

Stereoscopic  Photography, 

- 

- 

* 

-  171-173 

Flash  Portraiture,  (Ritch) 

- 

- 

-  51-64 

Stops,  -  -  -  - 

Flowers.  Photographing  (Dugmore)  - 

-  15C-152 

Street  Photography, 

25 

Focusing, 

- 

- 

14-16,  19 

Timing,  -  -  -  - 

- 

* 

-  39-42 

Focusing  Scale, 

- 

-  - 

-  17,71 

Trimming, 

- 

-  169-170 

Fog,  -  -  - 

89 

Under-Development, 

- 

88 

Gelatino  Chloride  Papers, 

- 

-  - 

-  107-113 

Velox,  -  - 

* 

- 

- 

'  92-105 

Gum-Bichromate  Process,  (Demachy) 

-  185-190 

Washing  Film  Negatives, 

- 

- 

- 

80 

Home  Portraiture,  - 

- 

- 

-  35-48 

Water  Development  Paper, 

- 

-  II7-II8 

Intensification, 

- 

- 

-  44-89 

W.  D.  Platinum, 

- 

-  117-118 

Interior  Exposures, 

- 

19-20,  47,  48,  65-69 

Weights  and  Measures, 

* 

- 

- 

170 

Kodak  Tank  Developer, 

- 

- 

72-80 

Winter  Photography,  (Eickemeyer) 

- 

-  144-149 

Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2019  with  funding  from 
Getty  Research  Institute 


https://archive.org/details/modernwayinpictuOOunse 


Preface. 


OUR  first  objedt  in  the  publication  of  this  book  is  to  make  photography 
easier  for  the  amateur.  Our  second  is  to  show  him  the  way  to  new 
pleasures  in  picture  making. 

In  its  compilation  we  have  endeavored  to  cover  fully  and  clearly  every 
point  on  which  he  should  have  information.  With  equal  care  we  have 
avoided  useless  discussion  of  theory  and  have  given  no  space  to  topics  that 
would  not  appeal  to  those  who  take  pictures  for  the  love  of  it. 

Frankly,  we  have  given  the  preference  to  work  by  the  Kodak  system. 
We  could  not  do  otherwise  and  be  honest  with  ourselves  or  with  the  reader. 
We  have  built  up  this  system  because  we  believe  in  it,  because  to  our  mind 
it  means  success  for  the  beginner  and  offers  the  greatest  opportunities  to  the 
advanced  worker.  In  its  sixteen  years  of  growth,  the  Kodak  system  has 
changed  the  photographic  ideas  and  methods  of  the  whole  world  and  has 
made  simple  and  easy  a  process  that  was  once  complex  and  uncertain. 

While  we  have  given  prominence  to  the  Kodak  method  of  work,  we 
have  nevertheless  recognized  the  fadt  that  there  are  those  who,  by  choice 
or  because  they  have  other  apparatus  than  ours,  still  cling  to  the  use  of 
glass  plates,  and  we  have  accordingly  applied  the  instruction  to  the  whole 
broad  field  of  amateur  photography. 

In  compiling  the  book  we  have  not  only  availed  ourselves  of  the  ser¬ 
vices  of  our  own  experts,  but  have  prevailed  upon  a  number  of  authorities 
to  contribute  to  our  pages — aiming  all  the  time,  however,  at  simplicity. 
It  has  been  our  aim  to  so  arrange  the  book  that  the  instruction  will  coincide 
with  the  amateur’s  advancement.  Thus  we  touch  lightly  upon  such  matters 
as  composition,  timing,  etc.,  in  the  earlier  pages,  going  more  fully  into 
these  subjects  after  treating  the  simpler  forms  of  technical  work  and  con¬ 
cluding  with  the  more  complicated  printing  methods. 

Some  of  our  previous  books  have  proven  successful  as  photographic 
educators.  It  is  our  hope  that  this,  our  most  ambitious  effort  in  the  pub¬ 
lishing  field,  will  give  the  world  a  still  better  understanding  of  photography. 

EASTMAN  KODAK  CO. 


Plockton  Harbor. 


The  Camera. 


FILMS  OR  PLATES. 

Upon  the  sele&ion  of  the  first  instrument  much  depends.  And  in 
advising  we  must  take  into  consideration  the  personality,  tastes  and 
pocketbook  of  the  beginner.  Yet  one  rule  can  safely  be  laid  down.  Unless 
the  camera  is  never  to  be  taken  more  than  a  hundred  feet  from  the  dark 
room  it  must  use  film.  In  other  words,  an  exclusively  plate  camera  is  all 
right  for  gallery  work,  but  is  a  thing  to  be  avoided  by  the  amateur. 

Films  in  light-proof  rolls  weigh  only  one-twentieth  as  much  as  glass 
plates  and  the  necessary  plate  holders  ;  they  are  non-breakable,  are  as  easy 
to  develop  as  plates,  and  in  rapidity  and  quality  equal  the  best  plates  made. 

For  convenience  it  is  well  to  have  an  instrument  that  will  use  plates  as 
well  as  film,  although  the  plate  outfit  will  rarely  be  used  in  journeying  but 
is  desirable  when  one  wishes  to  make  an  exposure  or  two  in  or  about  the 
house. 

LENSES. 

Lenses  commonly  used  in  hand  cameras  may  be  divided  into  three 
classes,  “  Single,”  composed  of  one  piece  of  glass,  “  Single  Combination  ” 
(sometimes  also  called  simply  “Single”),  composed  of  crown  and  flint 
glass,  and  “Double  Combination”  (often  called  simply  “Double”), 
consisting  of  two  single  combinations. 

SINGLE  LENSES 

are  made  in  two  forms,  meniscus  and  plano-convex.  The 
meniscus  form,  giving  the  best  definition,  is  always 
employed  except  in  the  cheapest  class  of  cameras.  These 
lenses  are  always  mounted  behind  the  diaphragm  which 

controls  the  amount  of  light  to  be  admitted  through  the 

,  Meniscus 

lens. 


4 


THE  CAMERA. 


DOUBLE  COMBINATION  LENSES 
are  usually  of  the  form  shown  in  the  cut  and  consist  of  two  meniscus 

A  C  R 


A,  Front  Combination.  B,  Back 
Combination.  C.  Stops. 

Double  Lens. 


lenses  mounted  with  the  diaphragm  between. 


CORRECTED  LENSES. 

All  glass,  when  ground  into  lenses,  has  the  quality  of  dispersing  the 
different  colored  rays  so  that  they  will  not  focus  at  the  same  point.  The 


Non- Achromatic. 


rays  which  aft  on  the  sensitive  surface  are  those  from  the  violet  end  of  the 
spectrum  and  are  called  the  adtinic  or  chemical  rays.  The  visual  rays  are 
from  the  red  end  of  the  spe6trum,  hence  if  these  rays  are  separated  by  the 
lens  the  image  we  see  on  the  ground  glass  is  not  the  one  which  will  make 
the  picture.  Fortunately  flint  and  crown  glass  have  different  dispersive 
powers  and,  therefore,  one  can  be  made  to  corredt  the  abtion  of  the  other. 
Hence  if  we  assume  that  with  a  non-achromatic  lens,  such  as  shown  in  the 
cut,  the  visual  focus  would  be  at  C,  the  chemical  focus  would  be  at  A. 
Flint  glass  bends  the  chemical  rays  more  than  does  crown  glass,  and  so  by 
combining  a  negative  lens  of  flint  glass  with  a  positive  lens  of  crown  glass, 
the  chemical  and  visual  rays  are  brought  into  coincidence,  i.  <?. ,  are  brought 
to  focus  in  the  same  plane  as  at  B.  The  lens  is  then  called  “  achromatic.” 

In  a  non-corrected  lens  even  the  chemical  rays  do  not  all  focus  at  one 
point,  but  in  small  lenses  the  dispersion  may  be  so  slight  as  to  be  impossible 
of  detection  in  the  picture  by  the  naked  eye. 


THE  CAMERA. 


5 


The  difficulties  of  lens  making  increase,  one  might  say,  in  geometrical 
ratio  to  the  size  of  the  plate  to  be  covered,  and  many  forms  of  lenses  other 
than  those  shown  have  been  devised  to  overcome  these  difficulties,  some  of 
which  employ  as  many  as  six  or  eight  pieces  of  glass,  but  these  lenses  have 
really  no  practical  advantage  over  the  simpler  forms  in  such  sizes  as  are 
commonly  used  in  hand  cameras  and  we  shall,  therefore,  not  consider  them 
here. 

In  very  small  cameras  the  best  lens  is  the  simplest  ;  for  instance,  the 
lens  used  in  the  original  Pocket  Kodak  is  a  single  meniscus  non-achromatic, 
and  probably  no  lens  ever  had  higher  encomiums  showered  upon  it.  The 
reason  being  that  it  was  carefully  made,  rigidly  inspected  and  tested,  and 
not  over-taxed.  As  a  matter  of  faCt,  no  double  achromatic  lens  could  be 
made  that  would  surpass  it  in  brilliancy  or  covering  power.  For  larger  sizes 
lenses  must  be  corrected  but  there  is  no  advantage  in  a  double  lens  unless 
y/x  X4 or  4  x  5,  or  larger,  pictures  are  desired.  Single  lenses  tend  to 
slightly  curve  the  marginal  lines  of  the  picture,  but  this  is  unnoticeable  in 
small  pictures  and  is  unobjectionable  in  view  work  of  any  size  unless  the 
pictures  contain  architectural  subjects.  Double  lenses  can  be  worked  with  a 
larger  stop  opening  than  single  lenses  and  are,  therefore,  quicker,  especially 
in  the  larger  sizes.  They  are  almost  essential  for  5  x  7  and  4x5  snap¬ 
shot  work  and  are  preferable  for  3^  x  4^,  but  below  that  the  advantage 
disappears. 

Everything  depends  on  the  quality  of  the  work  put  into  a  lens. 
Differences  of  curve  or  polish  not  to  be  detected  except  by  an  expert  often 
constitute  the  difference  between  a  good  and  poor  lens  and  only  those 
which  have  been  through  the  most  rigid  inspection  and  trial  should  be  put 
in  a  camera  by  the  manufacturer. 

“FIXED  FOCUS” 

lenses  are  so  often  mentioned  in  catalogues  and  advertisements  that  the 
impression  has  gained  ground  that  this  is  some  distinCt  kind  of  lens,  with 
the  extraordinary  power  of  focusing  all  objects  near  and  far  in  one  plane. 
There  is  no  inherent  quality  in  any  lens  that  makes  it  “fixed  focus”  ;  it  is 
such  when  it  is  immovable  and  that  is  all.  Any  lens  can,  therefore,  be 
made  “fixed  focus”,  but  the  extent  to  which  it  will  focus  all  objeCts  in  one 
plane  depends  upon  its  length  of  focus  and  size  of  stop  or  diaphragm  used, 
and  upon  that  only. 

The  reason  for  this  is  that  the  rays  of  light  from  near  and  far  objeCts 
do  not  focus  at  the  same  point.  For  instance,  in  the  exaggerated  diagram, 
page  6,  we  will  assume  that  B  is  the  point  at  which  objects  100  feet 
distant  will  focus  and  that  A  is  where  obje&s  10  feet  distant  will  focus. 


6 


THE  CAMERA. 


Now  the  distance  between  A  and  B  will  vary  in  ratio  to  the  focal  length  of 
the  lens.  In  a  lens  of  3  inches  focus  it  is  ascertained  mathematically  to  be 
T3g-  of  an  inch  and  in  one  of  12  inches  focus,  1  %  inches.  Hence  if  using  a 


3  inch  focus  lens  the  sensitive  surface  is  placed  between  A  and  B,  the  obje<5l 
at  100  feet  and  beyond  (all  objefls  beyond  100  feet  come  practically  within 
one  focus)  and  objedts  10  feet  distant  will  none  of  them  be  more  than  out 
of  focus,  which,  with  the  size  of  stop  ordinarily  used  for  snap  work,  creates 
so  slight  a  blurring  of  the  image  that  it  cannot  be  detected.  Experience 
has  shown  that  the  limit  of  focus  for  a  lens  which  is  to  be  employed  for 
snap-shot  work  with  the  focus  fixed  is  under  5  inches  ;  in  other  words  that 
a  3/^  x  plate  is  about  the  largest  that  can  be  used  to  advantage  under 
such  circumstances.  It  is  probably  true  that  for  cameras  of  this  size  and 
under,  little  can  be  gained  by  having  the  focus  adjustable  and  that,  on  the 
other  hand,  better  average  results  will  be  obtained  with  a  fixed  focus,  owing 
to  the  fa6I  that  there  is  no  adjustment  that  will  allow  the  lens  to  be  put  out 
of  focus  by  a  mistake  in  measuring  distances. 


THE  CHOICE  OF  THE  CAMERA. 

With  the  products  that  exist  to-day,  the  hand  camera  is  pre-eminently 
the  most  desirable  instrument  for  the  amateur  photographer,  whether  he  be 
novice  or  expert.  When  amateur  photography  first  began,  some  twenty 
years  ago,  to  be  popular  with  the  public,  there  was  a  general  outcry  from 
the  small  group  of  old  enthusiasts  against  the  “  snap-shotter  ” ,  as  he  was 
termed.  When,  a  little  later,  it  came  to  be  recognized  that  good  pictures 
were  possible  with  the  hand  cameras,  the  old-timers  looked  wise  and  said 
that  “while  admitting  the  utility  of  the  hand  camera,  the  novice  should 
begin  with  a  tripod  camera  and  educate  himself  on  the  ground  glass”. 
These  “old  timers”  having  learned  photography  in  that  way  felt  that  it 
was  the  only  real  way. 

But  all  that  has  been  changed,  this  change  having  come  about  partly 
through  the  overcoming  of  the  old  prejudices  and  partly  through  the  per¬ 
fecting  of  the  hand  camera.  Nearly  all  of  the  best  work  is  to-day  made 


THE  CAMERA. 


7 


with  hand  cameras,  5  x  7  or  smaller.  ’Tis  true  that  the  work  you  see  at 
the  salon  is  often  large,  but  get  back  of  the  picture  and  you  are  very  apt  to 
find  a  small  negative  and  most  likely  a  film  negative. 

On  the  question  of  focusing  on  the  ground  glass  there  is  a  marked 
difference  of  opinion.  Some  first-class  workers  are  satisfied  with  the  finder 
and  scale  ;  others  wish  to  see  the  image  in  its  full  size  on  the  ground  glass 
before  they  press  the  bulb  ;  still  others  work  sometimes  in  one  way  and 
sometimes  in  the  other,  depending  upon  the  conditions.  As  a  matter  of  fad, 
the  finders  and  focusing  scales  have  been  so  perfected  on  the  smaller  instru¬ 
ments  that  the  ground  glass  is  not  an  essential,  perfeft  accuracy  being 
secured  by  less  troublesome  means. 

Several  styles  of  Kodaks  provide  for  the  use  of  either  the  scale 
or  the  ground  glass  for  focusing.  Most  notable  of  these  is  the  Screen 
Focus  Kodak,  which  by  an  ingenious  device  permits  the  use  of  the 
ground  glass,  although  it  takes  the  regular  cartridge  film.  It  will 
thus  be  seen  that  the  advantages  of  film  photography  may  now  be 
enjoyed  even  by  those  who  feel  that  the  ground  glass  is  essential  for 
some  of  their  work. 

Up  to  a  recent  date  the  plate  camera  was  the  only  instrument  per¬ 
mitting  the  use  of  the  ground  glass.  Against  this  the  Kodak  system 
offered  :  Lightness,  daylight  loading,  machine  development,  and  the 
superior  orthochromatic  and  non-halation  qualities  of  Kodak  N.  C.  film. 
To-day  the  Film  Pack  Adapter  gives  many  of  the  advantages  of  the  Kodak 
system  while  permitting  as  free  a  use  of  the  ground  glass  as  the  plate  sys¬ 
tem,  but  with  the  Film  Pack  a  dark-room  is  required  for  development.  So 
far  then  as  the  choice  of  a  camera  is  concerned,  the  novice  should  weigh 
the  conditions  and  decide  for  himself,  bearing  in  mind  that  film  photography 
has  been  forging  steadily  ahead  ;  that  the  best  workers  no  longer  question 
the  desirability  of  film  for  serious  work  ;  that  machine  daylight  development 
has  been  generally  acknowledged  as  pra&ically  and  theoretically  correct. 

No  matter  then  what  the  size  may  be,  no  matter  what  the  lens  and 
shutter  equipment  may  be,  no  matter  what  the  price  may  be,  the  instru¬ 
ment  should  be  adapted  to  the  use  of  film,  and  with  the  tremendous  advan¬ 
tage  of  daylight  development  taken  into  consideration,  the  Kodak  Car¬ 
tridge  System  should  be  given  the  first  consideration. 

Outside  of  the  question  of  film  and  plates  and  the  method  of  focusing, 
the  important  point  to  be  decided  is  that  of  lens  and  shutter  equipment. 
The  safe  rule  is  to  buy  the  best  the  purse  will  allow,  bearing  in  mind,  never¬ 
theless,  that  satisfactory  pictures  are  made  with  even  the  cheapest  cameras. 


8 


THE  CAMERA. 


GET  ACQUAINTED  WITH  THE  CAMERA. 

‘  *  How  shall  I  load  it  ?  '  ’ 

The  camera,  obtained,  that  is  the  first  question  which  will  be  asked  by 
ninety-nine  people  out  of  one  hundred,  and  our  answer  is:  “  Don’t  load  it  ; 
at  least,  not  until  you  fully  understand  its  workings.” 

Try  the  shutter  first,  working  it  several  times  for  both  time  and  instan¬ 
taneous  exposures  and  making  yourself  perfectly  familiar  with  its  action. 
Also  take  careful  note  of  the  diaphragms  or  stops  and  observe  how  with 
the  larger  opening  a  greater  quantity  of  light  passes  through  the  lens  in  a 
given  time  and  you  will  then  fully  understand  why  we  use  the  largest 
opening  for  snap-shots  and  the  smaller  ones  for  time  exposures. 

Having  mastered  the  shutter  and  the  focusing  arrangement,  if  there  is 
one  on  your  camera,  and  having  obtained  a  slight  idea  of  the  conditions 
necessary  for  successful  pi&ure  taking,  the  camera  may  be  loaded. 

LOADING  THE  CAMERA. 

On  the  supposition  that  you  have  taken  the  advice  given  in  the 
previous  pages  and  purchased  a  film  camera,  we  will  first  give  you  a  few 
hints  about  loading  with  film. 


WITH  FILM. 

With  a  Kodak  this  operation  is  performed  in  daylight  and 
is  very  simple.  The  film  is  put  up  in  light-tight  rolls  and  extend¬ 
ing  the  full  length  of  the  strip  of  film  and  several  inches  beyond 
each  end  is  a  strip  of  black  paper,  which,  in  connection  with  the 
flanges  on  the  spool,  forms  a  light-proof  cartridge. 

After  inserting  the  spool  and  threading  up  the  black  paper 
the  camera  is  closed  and  the  key  turned  until  the  black  paper  has  cartridge. 
been  reeled  off  and  the  sensitive  film  brought  into  place  in  the 
focal  plane.  The  black  paper  runs  with  and  behind  the  film,  and  at  proper 
intervals  is  marked  in  white  with  the  number  of  the  section  of  film,  i,  2,  3, 
etc.  In  the  back  of  the  camera  is  a  small  red  window  through  which  the 

figures  appear  as  the  key  is 
turned.  Turn  the  key  slowly 
to  the  left  and  watch  the  little 
red  celluloid  window  at  the  back 
of  the  camera.  When  15  to  18 
turns  have  been  given  a  hand 
pointing  toward  the  first  num¬ 
ber  will  appear,  then  turn  slowly  until  the  figure  1  is  in  front  of  the  red 
window.  Fig.  1. 


THE  CAMERA. 


9 


The  warning  hand  appears  only  before  No.  i.  These  figures  show  just 
how  far  to  turn  the  key  and  how  many  exposures  have  been  made.  After 
all  the  exposures  have  been  made,  a  few  extra  turns  of  the  key  entirely 
covers  the  film  with  black  paper  and  the  camera  may  be  unloaded  in  daylight. 

It  is  all  as  simple  as  threading  a  needle  (simpler  for  a  man)  and  with 
each  camera  is  a  manual  telling  plainly  about  each  step.  The  amateur 
must  bear  constantly  in  mind,  however,  that  the  black  paper  must  be  kept 
tightly  rolled  about  the  film  all  of  the  time  until  it  is  in  place  in  the  camera 
and  the  camera  closed,  for  should  the  film  be  exposed  to  daylight  for  even 
a  hundredth  part  of  a  second  its  ruin  would  be  accomplished. 

In  the  3)4  x  3)4,  3#  x  4#  and  4  x  5  sizes  Film  Cartridges  may  now 
be  obtained  for  “  Double-Two,”  six  or  twelve  exposures.  3/^t  x  5)4  may 
be  had  in  “Double-Two,”  six  and  ten,  and  x  6)4,  and  5  x  7  in 
“Double-Two,”  and  six  exposure  cartridges.  The  “Double-Two”  car¬ 
tridges  contain  four  exposures,  so  arranged,  however,  that  two  of  them  may 
be  removed  after  exposure,  or,  if  desired,  the  entire  four  exposures  may  be 
made  before  taking  out  cartridges. 

WITH  PLATES. 

For  loading  with  glass  plates  a  dark-room  is  essential,  that  is,  a  room 
from  which  all  white  light  has  been  excluded  as  described  on  page  81. 
Provide  also  a  dark-room  lamp,  a  camel’s  hair  brush  and  a  shelf  or  table 
on  which  to  work.  Remove  the  dark  slides  from  the  plate  holders  and, 
having  closed  every  avenue  for  the  entrance  of  white  light  and  iighted  the 
dark-room  lamp,  open  the  box  of  plates. 

Take  one  of  the  plates  from  the  box  and  put  it  in  the  holder  face  up, 
handling  the  plate  by  the  edges.  (The  face  is  the  dull  side.)  Dust  with 
the  camel’s  hair  brush  and  insert  the  dark  slide  with  the  word  “exposed” 
next  the  plate.  Now  turn  the  holder  over,  if  it  is  a  double  holder,  and  load 
the  other  side  in  a  similar  manner.  When  all  the  plate  holders  have  been 
filled  close  up  the  remaining  plates  in  the  box,  wrap  them  up  securely  or 
put  away  in  a  dark  drawer. 

THE  FILM  PACK. 

By  use  of  the  Premo  Film  Pack  the  ordinary  plate  camera  is  trans¬ 
formed  into  a  daylight  loading  film  camera  with  the  advantage  of  focusing 
on  the  ground  glass  the  same  as  when  using  plates.  This  pack  consists  of 
twelve  flat  cut  films  packed  together  in  a  light  proof  paper  case.  Attached 
to  each  film  is  a  paper  tab,  the  end  of  which  is  numbered,  thus  showing  the 
operator  just  which  film  is  in  position  for  exposure.  The  method  of  using 
this  pack  is  extremely  simple,  as  the  only  movement  necessary  in  placing 
the  film  in  position  for  the  next  exposure  is  to  simply  pull  out  a  tab. 


Making  the  Exposures. 


SECTION  1.— EXPOSURE. 

At  this  stage  of  your  photographic  career  you  should  learn  to  properly 
expose  the  film,  then  to  develop  it.  When  you  are  proficient  in  these 
rudimentary  principles,  it  will  be  time  to  take  up  the  simpler  methods  of 
printing,  after  which  you  will  be  instructed  in  the  more  artistic  side  of  the 
work. 

In  speaking  of  glass  plates  one  refers  to  the  emulsion  which  is  coated 
on  the  glass  as  the  “film.”  In  case  of  Eastman’s  Non-Curling  Film  the 
entire  product  is  so  light  that  the  whole  substance  is  referred  to  as  “film.” 
In  reality,  however,  there  is  a  transparent  base  taking  the  place  of  the 
glass.  Upon  this  the  sensitive  emulsion  is  coated.  We  then  have  a  prod¬ 
uct  which  is  similar  to  a  glass  plate,  except  that  it  is  light,  thin,  non-break- 
able  and  Tollable.  The  emulsion  is  the  same  in  each  case,  the  difference 
being  entirely  in  the  support. 

Cartridge  Films,  however,  on  account  of  the  black  paper  backing,  do 
not  reflect  light  from  the  back  to  the  surface,  and,  therefore,  are  almost 
entirely  free  from  halation,  a  defedl  which  is  found  very  largely  in  all  glass 
plates  unless  they  are  specially  prepared.  This  freedom  from  halation 
gives  film  a  far  greater  latitude  in  exposure  than  can  be  given  with  plates, 
and  especially  adapts  it  to  the  conditions  of  harsh  lighting  under  which  the 
amateur  ordinarily  works.  Everything  else  being  equal,  films  will,  there¬ 
fore,  give  better  average  results  than  can  be  secured  on  glass  plates. 

A  negative  is  made  by  the  ablion  of  light  on  the  silver  salts  in  the 
emulsion  with  which  the  film  is  coated.  Light  colored  objedls  reflect  strong 
rays  of  light  and  they  affebl  the  silver  salts  the  most.  If  there  is  a  clear 
sky  the  rays  of  light  from  it  will  make  the  sky  in  the  negative  opaque  or 
nearly  so  ;  the  rays  reflected  through  the  lens  from  a  white  house  will  be 
almost  as  strong  as  those  from  the  sky  ;  the  rays  from  the  red  brick  chimney 
will  affebl  the  negative  much  less,  while  so  little  light  comes  from  the 
heavily  shaded  veranda  that  the  negative  is  hardly  affecled  in  this  part.  We 
have  in  the  negative,  therefore,  a  record  of  lights  and  shadows  as  we  see 
them,  but  all  reversed.  When  these  are  again  reversed  by  making  the  print, 
we  have  them  as  we  see  them,  for,  as  in  grammar,  two  negatives  make  an 
affirmative,  i.  <?. ,  a  positive. 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


II 


A  certain  amount  of  light  must  strike  the  film  in  order  to  make  a  neg¬ 
ative  of  proper  density.  We  make  a  snap-shot  out  of  doors  on  a  bright 
day  in  one-fiftieth  of  a  second.  If  we  wish  to  take  a  pidture  indoors  on  the 
same  day,  we  must  give  from  two  seconds  to  several  minutes,  according  to 
the  amount  of  light  coming  through  the  windows  and  according  to  the  color 
of  the  walls.  If  the  latter  are  light  in  color,  the  exposure  will  be  much 
shorter  than  if  they  are  dark,  because  they  reflect  more  light.  You  must 
have  exposure  enough,  but  not  too  much.  You  cannot  make  a  snap-shot 
in-doors,  neither  can  you  give  a  long  time  exposure  out-doors  on  a  bright 
day  without  ruining  the  negative  ;  you  must  give  approximately  the  corredt 
exposure.  But,  fortunately,  film  is  so  made  as  to  give  quite  a  wide  latitude 
of  exposure.  The  length  of  exposure  depends  first  of  all  upon  the  intensity 
of  the  light. 


STOPS. 

A  volume  might  be  written  on  the  subject  of  stops,  but  a  few  lines  will 
suffice  to  give  the  amateur  an  idea  of  why  they  are  necessary,  and  how  they 
should  be  used. 

The  best  part  of  a  lens  is  its  center,  i.  e.,  those  rays  of  light  which  pass 
through  the  lens  at  or  near  the  center  will  be  correctly  refradted  and  will 
therefore  give  the  image  clear  and  sharp  on  the  ground  glass,  while  the  rays 
which  pass  through  the  outer  edges  of  the  lens  will  not  make  such  a  clear 
and  distindl  image.  It  can  thus  be  seen  that  the  smaller  the  stop  opening 
the  sharper  the  pidture,  because  the  outside  rays  will  be  cut  off.  But  we 
find  also  that  with  a  small  diaphragm  or  stop  opening  we  cut  down  the  light 
to  a  great  extent.  If  the  beginner  has  a  camera  with  focusing  glass  it  will 
be  well  for  him  to  focus  on  some  objedt  on  the  ground  glass,  using  the 
largest  diaphragm  and  carefully  noting  the  lines  to  see  if  they  are  sharp. 
Then  let  him  put  a  smaller  stop  in  position,  noting  the  increase  in  sharpness 
and  the  decrease  in  light.  The  better  the  lens  the  larger  the  stop  opening 
which  we  can  use  successfully,  and  consequently  the  “faster”  the  lens. 
Suppose  we  have  one  lens  of  8  inch  focus  and  we  find  that  in  a  given  light 
we  can  make  a  clear,  sharp  pidture  in  5  seconds  with  a  stop  one  inch  in 
diameter,  while  with  another  lens  of  same  focal  length  we  must  use  a  stop 
only  one-half  inch  in  diameter  in  order  to  get  a  sharp  pidture.  How  would 
they  compare  in  speed?  Nine  people  out  of  ten  will  jump  at  conclusions 
and  say  that  we  must  give  the  lens  with  the  half-inch  opening  10  seconds. 
In  this  case  the  first  impression  is  not  corredt.  We  must  give  four  times  the 
time  or  20  seconds,  because  the  area  of  the  one  inch  stop  is  four  times  that 
of  the  half  inch  stop.  We  find  that  we  can  get  a  simple  little  rule  from  this 
and  if  we  know  the  corredt  exposure  with  one  stop  we  can  figure  for  our- 


(*) 


12 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


selves  the  correct  exposure  for  the  others  :  The  time  variation  between 
two  stops  is  inversely  as  the  square  of  their  diameters. 

With  our  single  lens  cameras  there  are  stop  openings  of  three  sizes,  the 
largest,  for  ordinary  snap  shots,  the  second,  (which  has  about  fs  the 
diameter  of  the  largest)  for  snap  shots  on  the  water  and  in  tropical  or  semi- 
tropical  climates  or  for  time  exposures  indoors,  and  the  smallest,  ordinarily 
used  for  time  exposures  out  of  doors — never  for  snap  shots. 

With  the  double  lenses  there  is  a  greater  number  of  stop  openings  and 
they  are  arranged  upon  what  is  known  as  the  Uniform  System,  commonly 
abbreviated  to  “  U.  S.” 

Of  course  when  we  say  in  a  general  way  that  the  speed  of  a  lens 
depends  upon  the  diameter  of  the  stop  opening  we  do  not  mean,  for  instance, 
that  a  Pocket  Kodak  stop  opening  must  be  as  large  as  the  diaphragm  in  the 
lens  of  an  8  x  io  camera  in  order  to  have  the  same  speed,  but  it  must  be  as 
large  in  proportion,  and  that  proportion  we  find  is  based  upon  the  length  of 
focus  (the  distance  between  lens  and  plate)  of  the  lens.  The  proportionate 
size  or  the  “value”  of  the  stop  opening  is  designated  by  f,  and  is  the 
quotient  obtained  by  dividing  the  focal  length  of  the  lens  by  the  diameter 
of  the  stop.  Taking,  for  instance,  a  lens  of  8  inch  focus  with  a  stop  one 
inch  in  diameter  and  we  find  that  8  ~  i  =  8.  Hence,  8  is  the  f  value  of 
the  stop  and  would  be  designated  :  f  8.  Suppose  our  stop  is  %  inch  in 
diameter,  we  would  then  have  8  -f-  —  f  32. 

For  convenience  the  Uniform  System  of  marking  stop  openings  has 
been  adopted  by  nearly  all  manufacturers  of  iris  diaphragms  and  the  follow¬ 
ing  table  will  help  the  amateur  to  understand  the  meaning  of  these  mark¬ 
ings  by  giving  the  f  value  for  each  one  : 

U.  S.  4  =/  8 
U.  S.  8=/ 1 1. 3 
U.  S.  16  —f  16 
U.  S.  32  =/ 22.6 
U.  S.  64=/ 32 
U.  S.  128  =  f  45.2 

The  convenience  of  the  U.  S.  system  is  at  once  apparent  when  we 
understand  that  each  higher  number  stands  for  an  opening  having  half  the 
area  of  the  preceding  opening.  Between  each  number,  therefore,  we 
simply  double  the  time.  For  instance,  the  table  given  on  page  20  is  for 
use  with  stop  No.  8  with  the  No.  4  Folding  Pocket  Kodak.  If  we  use  stop 
No.  16  we  must  give  twice,  or  if  No.  32  four  times  the  time  of  the  table, 
while  with  stop  No.  4  we  would  give  only  one-half  the  time  of  the  table. 

Ordinarily  the  appended  table  is  a  good  one  to  follow  in  the  use  of  the 
stops  with  a  rapid  rectilinear  lens,  but  there  are  some  exceptions  : 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


13 


No.  4. — For  instantaneous  exposures  in  slightly  cloudy  weather  and 
for  portraits.  Do  not  attempt  instantaneous  exposures  on  dark,  cloudy 
days. 

No.  8. — For  all  ordinary  instantaneous  exposures  when  the  sun  shines. 

No.  16. — For  instantaneous  exposures  when  the  sunlight  is  unusually 
strong  and  there  are  no  heavy  shadows  ;  such  as  views  on  the  seashore  or 
on  the  water,  or  in  tropical  or  semi-tropical  climates  ;  also  for  interior  time 
exposures. 

Nos.  32  and  64. — For  interiors.  Never  for  instantaneous  exposures. 

No.  128. — For  time  exposures  outdoors  in  cloudy  weather.  Never  for 
instantaneous  exposures.  The  time  required  for  time  exposures  on  cloudy 
days  with  smallest  stop  will  range  from  second  to  5  seconds,  according 
to  the  light.  The  smaller  the  stop  the  sharper  the  picture. 

To  get  “  depth  of  focus  ” ,  i.  <?.,  have  all  objects,  both  near  and  far, 
needle  sharp,  use  the  smallest  stop. 

The  No.  4  stop  is  not  to  be  used  when  absolute  sharpness  is  desired,  as 
the  opening  is  so  large  that  few  lenses  will  have  a  good  “depth  of  focus  ’’ 
with  it — i.  e.,  only  the  objeCts  at  the  exaCt  distance  focused  will  be  sharp, 
those  nearer  by  or  farther  away  being  more  or  less  “out  of  focus.’’ 

We  find  in  the  instruction  books  for  the  fixed  focus  Kodaks  having 
rapid  rectilinear  lenses  that  we  are  told  to  use  the  No.  16  stop  for  ordinary 
snap  shots,  while  the  above  table  says  to  use  No.  8.  The  reason  for  this 
exception  is  easily  explained,  and  to  avoid  confusion  and  apparent  contra¬ 
diction,  should  be  given  :  You  have,  no  doubt,  often  noticed  that  many 
photographs  are  more  fully  timed  in  the  center  than  at  the  edges  and,  for 
instance,  that  you  could  mark  out  a  place,  say,  3^  x  3^  inches  in  the 
middle  of  a  5  x  7  photograph  that  would  be  fully  timed,  while  the  outer 
edges  were  considerably  under-timed.  Now  the  lenses  on  the  3^  x  3^ 
Bulls-Eye  Kodaks  will  in  reality  cover  a  5  x  7  plate  with  the  No. 
16  opening,  and  so  by  using  only  the  central  portion  where  the  greatest 
illumination  occurs,  we  find  it  practical  to  make  snap  shots  with  this 
small  opening. 

Sharpness  is  extremely  desirable  in  a  picture,  but  what  we  call  “round¬ 
ness”  and  “atmosphere”  is  perhaps  fully  as  important.  What  is  meant 
by  these  rather  vague  terms  is  sometimes  puzzling  to  the  beginner  and  they 
are,  perhaps,  best  explained  as  referring  to  that  quality  in  a  picture  which 
gives  the  proper  idea  of  both  distance  and  perspective — that  quality  which 
is  the  opposite  of  the  silhouette  ;  which  makes  every  objeCt  appear  in  proper 
relation  to  every  other  objeCt  and  gives  life  and  character  to  the  picture. 
“Atmosphere”  and  “roundness”  we  find  by  practical  experience  are 
somewhat  lost  by  using  too  small  a  stop.  We  should,  therefore,  use  the 
largest  opening  which  will  give  us  a  sharp  picture. 


i4 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


FOCUSING. 


If  your  Kodak  makes  pictures  3^  x  4 inches  or  larger,  you  must 
look  to  your  focusing  as  well  as  to  the  matter  of  light  and  stops.  The 
manual  accompanying  the  instrument  explains  how  to  do  this,  but  some¬ 
thing  of  the  reasons  for  the  necessity  of  it  may  be  of  value  to  you.  It  is 
our  intention  to  make  this  book  intensely  practical,  yet  a  bit  of  theory 
often  helps  one  in  the  accomplishment  of  practical  ends. 

Suppose  we  wish  to  make  a  picture  of  an  objebt  six  feet  away  ;  the 
focusing  point  would  be  (with  most  lenses  used  in  a  4  x  5  camera)  seven 
inches  from  the  lens.  Now  again,  should  we  wish  to  make  a  piblure  of  an 
objebl  100  feet  or  more  distant,  we  find  that  the  focusing  point  will  be  six 
inches  from  the  lens.  So  you  can  readily  see  that,  with  a  camera  of  that 
size,  it  would  be  impossible  to  have  a  lens  always  set  at  the  same  point  or 
distance  from  the  sensitive  surface,  for  if  the  nearby  objebis  were  in  focus 
(sharp)  the  distant  ones  would  be  out  of  focus  (not  sharp),  and  vice  versa , 
and  for  that  reason  we  have  what  is  called  an  “  adjustable  focus”  ;  that  is, 
the  front  of  the  camera  A 

or  that  part  which  <■>  . . l\  — c 

carries  the  lens  is  made 
so  that  it  can  be  moved 
and  the  distance  of  the 
lens  from  the  sensitive  film  or  plate  be  increased  or  decreased. 

The  variation  of  focus  is  shown,  greatly  exaggerated,  in  the  above 
diagram. 

When  we  say  that  a  camera  is  “  in  focus”  it  is  equivalent  to  saying 
that  the  sensitive  surface  of  the  film  or  plate,  when  in  the  camera,  will  come 
in  contabt  with  the  rays  of  light  reflected  from  subjebt  at  this  point  or  the 
point  of  focus. 

TO  FOCUS. 


A  A  Lens. 


E 


C  Focus  of  the  rays  of  light  from  object  B. 
Focus  of  the  rays  from  object  D. 


On  the  Adjustable  Focus  Kodaks  will  be  found  a  little  scale  marked 
with  figures  ranging  usually  from  six  to  one  hundred,  and  indicating  feet. 
(They  are  also  marked  for  meters.)  You  will  also  find  a  little  pointer  that, 
as  you  move  the  lens  back  and  forth,  will  pass  over  the  scale.  Now, 
should  you  wish  to  take  a  pibture  of  an  objebl,  say  fifteen  feet  distant,  you 
will  move  the  pointer  until  it  rests  over  the  figure  15.  This  indicates  that 
the  lens  has  been  brought  to  the  proper  distance  from  the  focal  plane  ( i .  e. , 
the  surface  of  film  or  plate)  for  the  focusing  of  objebts  at  a  distance  of  fifteen 
feet.  Objebts  nearer  by,  or  farther  away,  will  not  be  absolutely  sharp,  this, 
however,  depending  largely  upon  the  size  of  stop  which  you  are  using. 
See  page  13. 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


15 


While  the  adjustable  scale  for  all  cameras  up  to  and  including  5x7 
inches  will,  when  carefully  used,  give  one  just  as  sharp  pictures  as  can  be 
obtained  by  focusing  on  the  ground  glass,  there  is  some  satisfaction  to  the 
student  of  photography  in  focusing  his  camera  on  the  glass  before  he  sets 
out  on  his  photographic  career.  It  shows  him  what  his  lens  is  doing  and 
why  it  impresses  an  image  on  the  sensitive  film. 

When  used  with  glass  plates,  the  Screen  Focus  and  the  No.  3,  3A  and  4 
Folding  Pocket  Kodaks  and  the  4A  Folding  Kodak  may  be  focused  on  the 
ground  glass,  there  being  a  special  Plate  Adapter  and  Focusing  Glass 
for  this  purpose.  However,  for  the  purposes  of  the  study  of  this  question 
of  focus,  it  is  not  necessary  to  purchase  an  adapter,  as  the  back  of  the 
camera  may  simply  be  removed  and  a  piece  of  ground  glass  laid  against  the 
rollers  over  which  the  film  passes  and  the  picture  may  be  focused  on  this. 
Be  careful,  however,  to  have  the  glass  of  such  size  that  it  may  be  placed  in 
adual  contact  with  the  rollers  ;  otherwise,  it  will  not  be  in  the  proper  focal 
plane  and  the  lesson  will  be  lost. 


Note — The  experiment  of  looking  at  the  image  on  the  ground  glass  may  be  similarly  tried  with  the 
fixed  focus  Kodaks  and  will  prove  extremely  interesting  and  instructive  to  the  beginner. 


To  accomplish  this,  place  the  camera  on  a  tripod,  on  the  window  sill 
or  on  a  table.  It  will  be  better  to  focus  on  something  outside  of  the  house 
at  first  as  the  light  will  be  stronger.  Point  the  camera  at  some  objeH,  a 
tree,  for  instance  ;  put  the  ground  glass  in  position,  use  the  largest  stop  and 
open  the  shutter.  With  your  head  about  one  foot  away  and  your  eyes  on 
a  level  with  the  camera,  take  a  piece  of  black  or  dark  cloth  and  place  over 
your  head  and  back  part  of  the  camera,  thus  cutting  off  all  light  except  that 
entering  through  the  lens.  Do  not  try  to  look  through  the  ground  glass, 
but  at  it.  In  a  few  seconds,  or  when  your  eyes  get  accustomed  to  the  dark¬ 
ness,  you  will  see  a  piCIure  on  its  surface.  The  piCIure  or  image  you  see 
will  be  just  what  you  would  get  on  the  sensitive  surface  of  your  film  or  plate. 
You  will,  however,  notice  that  the  piCIure  is  inverted,  or  upside  down. 
This  may  excite  your  curiosity  but  will  explain  itself  by  aid  of  the  following 
diagram  : 


Let  A  represent  a  tree. 

B  the  lens. 

C  the  ground  glass  or  focusing  screen. 
D  the  camera. 


The  rays  of  light 
from  “A”  passing  in  a 
straight  line  through 
“B”  until  they  are 
interrupted  by  “C,” 
on  which  they  strike, 
form  an  inverted  image 
of  the  object  “A.” 

Now  move  the 
lens  back  and  forth 


i6 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


until  the  tree  is  sharply  defined  on  the  ground  glass.  When  the  lens  is  at 
just  the  proper  distance  from  the  ground  glass,  the  object  will  be  as  “sharp 
as  a  needle’’  even  if  the  largest  stop  be  used.  Now  focus  on  objects  at 
other  distances.  First,  on  an  object  one  hundred  feet  or  more  away  and 
then  on  an  object  only  eight  feet  away.  You  will  notice  that  the  farther 
away  the  object,  the  nearer  to  the  focal  plane  (ground  glass)  the  lens  must 
be  in  order  to  give  a  sharp  picture,  and  vice  versa.  And  you  will  notice 
further,  if  you  take  the  trouble  to  carefully  measure  the  distances,  that  your 
ground  glass  tells  the  same  tale  as  your  focusing  scale, — in  other  words,  if 
you  focus  on  an  object  25  feet  distant  and  get  it  sharp,  that  the  pointer  on 
the  focusing  scale  will  point  at,  or  nearly  at,  25.  You  will  also  notice  that 
all  objects  from  15  to  50  feet  will  be  in  good  focus. 

Our  factory  methods  of  adjusting  the  focusing  scale  correspond  closely 
to  the  foregoing  paragraph.  To  insure  accuracy,  the  focusing  scales  are 
placed  on  Kodaks  by  adlual  focusing.  The  camera  is  placed  beneath  a 
hood,  which  serves  as  a  focusing  cloth  and  cuts  off  all  light  except  that 
entering  through  the  lens.  Incandescent  lights  are  arranged  at  different 
distances,  which  correspond  with  the  figures  on  the  focusing  scale.  For 
instance,  the  camera  is  first  focused  on  a  light  15  feet  away,  regardless  of 
the  scale,  which  is  then  so  placed  on  the  camera  that  the  15  foot  mark  will 
come  directly  underneath  the  pointer.  The  scale  is  then  fastened  in 
position  and  tested  at  other  distances,  the  image  on  the  ground  glass  being 
examined  with  a  magnifying  glass.  Before  the  camera  is  finally  passed  from 
his  department,  the  inspector  makes  certain  that  the  focusing  scale  cor¬ 
responds  exactly  with  the  ground  glass  at  each  distance. 

While  the  shutter  is  open  and  the  ground  glass  is  in  position  it  will 
prove  interesting  and  instructive  to  note  also  the  effect  of  the  stops.  After 
focusing  on  some  object  with  the  largest  diaphragm,  put  a  smaller  stop  in 
position  and  note  the  decrease  in  light  and  the  increase  in  sharpness  over 
the  entire  picture.  There  may  be  no  marked  increase  in  sharpness  of  the 
particular  object  on  which  you  have  focused,  but  nearer  and  further  objects 
will  be  sharpened  in  a  remarkable  degree.  Remember  this  point  later. 
The  above  experiment  with  stops  may  also  be  tried  with  the  fixed  focus 
cameras. 

Flaving  now  something  of  the  theory  of  photography,  you  are  pre¬ 
pared  to  make  your  first  negatives.  Read  carefully  the  instructions  on  the 
making  of  snap  shots  and  time  exposures  given  in  the  following  pages,  hav¬ 
ing  also  read  carefully  the  instructions  for  operating  your  camera,  which  are 
given  in  the  manual  accompanying  it,  you  are  ready  to  sally  forth  and 
undertake  the  work  of  exposure.  We  advise  snap-shot  work  to  begin  with, 
but  you  should  be  sure  to  pick  out  for  your  first  work  a  day  when  the  light 
is  strong  and  brilliant,  that  your  first  batch  of  negatives  may  be  fully  timed. 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


17 


SECTION  2. -SNAP  SHOTS. 

Instantaneous  exposures,  or  “  snap  shots  ”,  as  they  are  more  frequently 
called,  are  usually  made  while  the  camera  is  held  in  the  hand  and  are  about 
the  first  thing  that  the  amateur  attempts.  Some  learned  writers  deprecate 
this,  but  as  snap  shots  are  the  simplest  exposures  to  make  and  ordinarily 
the  simplest  to  develop,  because  most  likely  to  be  correctly  timed,  we 
believe  the  amateur  should  begin  his  photographic  career  with  this  class 
of  work. 

Before  making  an  exposure,  either  time  or  instantaneous,  be  sure  of 
four  things : 

First — That  the  shutter  is  set  properly.  (For  time  or  instantaneous 
exposures  as  desired.) 

Second — That  the  proper  stop  is  in  position  before  the  lens. 

Third — That  an  unexposed  section  of  the  film  is  turned  into  position, 
or  that  an  unexposed  plate  is  in  position  and  that  the  dark  slide  has  been 
removed. 

Fourth — Unless  the  camera  has  a  fixed  focus  see  that  it  is  properly 
focused  on  the  principal  object  to  be  photographed. 

To  take  instantaneous  pictures  the  object  must  be  in  the  broad,  open 
sunlight,  but  the  camera  should  not  be.  The  sun  should  be  behind  the 
back  or  over  the  shoulder  of  the  operator. 

Note  Effective  pictures  may  frequently  be  made  by  working  toward  the  sun,  shading  the  lens  to 
keep  out  direct  sunlight  when  so  doing,  but  the  amateur  should  not  attempt  such  work  at  the  start. 


SET  THE  FOCUS. 

Set  the  focus  by  placing  the  pointer  over  the  figures  on  the  index  plate 
nearest  the  estimated  distance  of  the  principal  object  to  be  photographed  in 
feet. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  estimate  the  distance  with  any  more  than  approx¬ 
imate  accuracy.  For  instance,  if  the  focus  is  set  at  25  feet  (the  usual 
distance  for  ordinary  street  work),  the  sharpest  part  of  the  pidture  will  be 
the  objedfs  at  that  distance  from  the  camera,  but  everything  from  15  to  35 
feet  will  be  in  good  focus.  For  general  street  work  the  focus  may  be  kept 
at  50  feet,  but  where  the  principal  object  is  nearer  or  farther  away  the  focus 
should  be  moved  accordingly. 

USE  THE  PROPER  STOP. 

It  is  imperative  that  a  large  stop  be  used  in  making  snap  shots.  With 
most  cameras  the  largest  stop  must  be  used  under  ordinary  conditions  with 


i8 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


bright  sunlight.  This  is  the  case  with  all  of  the  single  lens  Kodaks.  With 
the  double  lens  Kodaks  use  No.  8  stop.  See  page  13. 

This  size  stop  must  be  used  for  snap  shots  except  where  the  sunlight  is 
umisually  strong  and  there  are  no  heavy  shadows,  such  as  views  on  the 
water,  or  in  tropical  or  semi-tropical  climates,  when  the  next  smaller  stop 
may  be  used. 

The  smallest  stop  must  never  be  used  for  snap  shots  or  absolute  failure 
will  result. 


LOCATE  THE  IMAGE. 

Holding  the  camera  steadily,  locate  the  image  in  the  finder.  The 
finder  gives  the  exadt  scope  of  view  and  shows  on  a  reduced  scale  just  what 
will  be  in  the  picture — no  more,  no  less. 

HOLD  IT  LEVEL. 

The  camera  must  be  held  level. 

If  the  operator  attempts  to  pho¬ 
tograph  a  tall  building,  while  stand¬ 
ing  near  it,  by  pointing  upward 
(thinking  thereby  to  center  it)  the 
result  will  be  similar  to  Fig.  1. 

This  was  pointed  too  high. 

This  building  should  have  been 
taken  from  the  middle  story  window 
of  the  building  opposite. 

The  operator  should  hold  the 
camera  level ,  after  withdrawing  to  a 
proper  distance,  as  indicated  by  the 
image  shown  in  the  finder.  Some 
cameras  are  equipped  with  a  rising 
and  sliding  front  to  assist  in  taking  in 
the  tops  of  tall  buildings,  etc.  See 
page  21. 

All  being  in  readiness 

Hold  the  Camera  Steady, 

Hold  it  Level  and 
Make  the  Exposure. 


Fig.  I. 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


J9 


SECTION  3.— TIME  EXPOSURES  INDOORS. 

First  put  the  camera  in  position.  The 
diagram  shows  the  proper  position  for  the 
camera.  It  should  not  be  pointed  diredtly  at  a 
window  as  the  glare  of  light  will  blur  the  picture. 
If  all  the  windows  cannot  be  avoided,  pull  down 
the  shades  of  such  as  come  within  the  range  of 
the  camera. 

To  make  a  time  exposure,  place  the  camera 
on  some  firm  support,  like  a  table  or  tripod,  focus  carefully  (this,  of  course, 
does  not  apply  to  fixed  focus  cameras)  on  the  principal  objedt  and  locate  the 
image  in  the  finder. 

FOCUSING  ON  THE  GROUND  GLASS. 

When  using  plates,  or  cameras  having  a  removable  roll  holder,  the 
focusing  may  be  done  on  the  ground  glass  if  desired.  The  plate  or  roll 
holder  being  removed  and  the  shutter  opened,  the  image  may  be  seen 
(reversed)  upon  the  ground  glass.  Cover  the  head  with  a  focusing  cloth 
of  some  opaque  material  and  look  on  the  ground  glass,  7iot  through  it. 
Focus  by  moving  the  lens  back  and  forward  until  the  picture  is  sharp. 
Then  close  the  shutter,  insert  plate  or  roll  holder  and  proceed  as  before 
described. 

If  the  light  is  poor  the  focusing  may  be  done  with  the  largest  stop  and 
a  smaller  one  put  in  position  afterward. 

Set  the  shutter  and  all  being  in  readiness  press  bulb  or  lever,  as  the 
case  may  be,  to  open  shutter.  Give  the  proper  time  (using  a  watch  if  more 
than  two  seconds)  then  close  the  shutter. 

TIME  NEEDED  FOR  INTERIOR  EXPOSURES. 

The  following  table  is  an  excellent  guide  for  making  interior  exposures 
and  is  based  upon  the  time  needed  for  exposures  with  the  stop  ordinarily 
used  for  snap  shots  in  single  lens  cameras,  and  with  the  No.  8  stop  in  all 
Rapid  Rectilinear  lenses.  When  a  smaller  stop  is  used  the  time  must  be 
increased  proportionately.  Where  there  are  figures,  greater  softness  will 
be  obtained  in  the  faces  by  somewhat  increasing  this  time  and  the  Steadman 
system  of  light  measurement  is  recommended.  See  page  39. 


Diagram  Showing  Position  of 
Camera. 


20 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


White  walls  and  more  than  one  window  : 

bright  sun  outside,  2  seconds  ;  cloudy  bright,  10  seconds  ; 

hazy  sun,  5  seconds  ;  cloudy  dull,  20  seconds. 


White  walls  and  only  one  window  : 

bright  sun  outside,  3  seconds  ;  cloudy  bright,  15  seconds  ; 

hazy  sun,  8  seconds  ;  cloudy  dull,  30  seconds. 


Medium  colored  walls  and  hangings  and  more  than  one  window  : 

bright  sun  outside,  4  seconds  ;  cloudy  bright,  20  seconds  ; 

hazy  sun,  10  seconds  ;  cloudy  dull,  40  seconds. 


Medium  colored  walls  and  hangings  and  only  one  window  : 

bright  sun  outside,  6  seconds  ;  cloudy  bright,  30  seconds  ; 

hazy  sun,  15  seconds  ;  cloudy  dull,  60  seconds. 


Dark  colored  walls  and  hangings  and  more  than  one  window  : 
bright  sun  outside,  10  seconds  ;  cloudy  bright,  40  seconds  ; 

hazy  sun,  20  seconds  ;  cloudy  dull,  1  minute,  20  seconds. 


Dark  colored  walls  and  hangings  and  only  one  window  : 

bright  sun  outside,  20  seconds  ;  cloudy  bright,  So  seconds  ; 

hazy  sun,  40  seconds  ;  cloudy  dull,  2  minutes,  40  seconds. 

The  foregoing  is  calculated  for  rooms  whose  windows  get  the  direct 
light  from  the  sky  and  for  hours  from  3  hours  after  sunrise  until  3  hours 
before  sunset. 

If  earlier  or  later  the  time  required  will  be  longer. 

As  a  general  rule  use  a  medium  sized  stop  for  time  exposures  indoors. 


SECTION  4.— TIME  EXPOSURES  IN  THE 

OPEN  AIR. 

When  the  smallest  stop  is  in  the  lens  the  light  admitted  is  so  much 
reduced  that  time  exposures  out  of  doors  may  be  made  the  same  as  interi¬ 
ors  but  the  exposure  must  be  much  shorter. 

With  Sunshine — The  shutter  can  hardly  be  opened  and  closed 
quickly  enough  to  avoid  over-exposure. 

With  Light  Clouds — From  ^  to  1  second  will  be  sufficient. 

With  Heavy  Clouds — From  2  to  5  seconds  will  be  required. 

The  above  is  calculated  for  the  same  hours  as  mentioned  above  and  for 
objects  in  the  open  air.  For  other  hours  or  for  objects  in  the  shadow 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


21 


under  porches  or  under  trees,  no  accurate  directions  can  be  given  ;  experi¬ 
ence  only  can  teach  the  proper  exposure  to  give. 

Time  exposures  cannot  be  made  while  the  camera  is  held  in  the  hand. 
Always  place  it  upon  some  firm  support,  such  as  a  tripod,  chair  or  table. 


PRACTICAL  HINTS. 

In  the  loregoing  pages  we  have  given  a  bare  outline  of  how  to  make 
snap-shots  and  time  exposures,  and  further  on  we  shall  give  the  details  of 
development.  Before,  however,  taking  up  the  chemical  part  of  picture 
making,  we  propose  to  treat  of  some  of  the  important  details  of  exposure. 

The  beginner  should  expose  a  roll  of  film  or  a  few  plates,  taking 
both  snap-shots  and  time  exposures  and  developing  them  as  per  instructions 
on  pages  72  to  91,  before  taking  up  the  study  of  the  various  methods  of 
portraiture,  etc. 


SECTION  5.— THE  RISING  AND  SLIDING 

FRONT. 


Occasionally  in  the  taking  of  photographs  of  buildings  or  in  landscape 
photography  it  is  found  that  the  subject  cannot  all  be  readily  included 
except  by  tilting  the  camera,  which 
would  produce  the  undesirable  results 
shown  on  page  18.  To  assist  in  cor¬ 
recting  this  fault  some  cameras  are 
provided  with  a  rising  front,  which  may 
be  utilized  in  cutting  out  an  undesirable 
foreground  or  to  assist  in  taking  in  the 
top  of  a  high  building,  etc.  To  illus¬ 
trate  this  we  take  the  Screen  Focus 
Kodak,  which  is  manipulated  as  follows: 

Fig.  1  shows  how  to  raise  or  lower 
the  front.  The  rising  front  is  controlled 
by  rack  and  pinion  operated  by  turning  milled  head,  Fig.  1.  To  raise  or 
lower  front,  pull  out  on  the  milled  head  and  it  will  turn  easily.  Letting  go 
of  the  milled  head  allows  pinion  to  spring  back  and  front  is  locked. 

The  front  can  be  moved  to  the  right  or  left  (up  and  down  when  Kodak 
is  placed  on  its  side  for  vertical  exposure)  by  turning  to  right  lever 


22 


MAKING  THE  EXPOSURES. 


beneath  the  shutter,  Fig.  II.,  and  slid¬ 
ing  front  in  either  direction  to  the 
desired  position.  The  front  is  locked 
in  position  by  pushing  lever  to  left. 
When  through  using,  repeat  operation 
shown  in  Fig.  II.  by  sliding  front  to 
point  in  center  where  it  catches  and 
lock  it. 

In  order  to  make  a  sharp  pi6Iure 
when  using  the  rising  front  it  will  be 
fig.  ii.  better  to  use  a  small  stop  (No.  32  or 

64)  and  as  this  in  turn  necessitates  a 
time  exposure,  a  tripod  or  other  firm  support  must  be  provided.  Experi¬ 
ence  alone  can  teach  the  many  ways  in  which  the  rising  and  sliding  front 
may  be  used  for  composing  artistic  pictures. 


N.  B  —Do  not  fail  to  center  front  before  closing  camera  as  otherwise  there  is  danger  of  ruining 
bellows  when  folding. 


On  Out-Door  Work. 


The  foregoing  sections  have  given  you  practical  instructions  in  the 
manipulation  of  your  Kodak,  the  selection  of  stop  and  exposure  for  the 
various  lines  of  work.  The  question  now  arises  in  your  mind  “What  shall 
I  take?”  Probably  like  most  beginners  you  desire  to  make  your  first 
attempts  out  of  doors. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  for  one  to  leave  the  vicinity  of  his  own  home  to 
find  suitable  subjects  from  which  to  make  interesting  pictures.  This  includes 
those  living  in  the  thickly  populated  cities  as  well  as  those  of  the  rural 
districts,  the  former  giving  us  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  subjects,  “street 
life.”  This  includes  mostly  moving  objeCts,  the  teams  drawing  heavy 
trucks,  the  cars  loaded  with  their  passengers,  the  little  old  woman  who 
keeps  the  apple  stand  at  the  corner,  strange  and  odd  characters  frequently 
seen  in  most  cities,  and  the  newsboy  who  will  nearly  always  “give  you  a 
chance”  if  you  take  him  right.  In  the  country  we  find  the  mill,  the  rustic 
bridge,  the  pond  with  its  bordering  rushes,  the  old  boat  drawn  up  on  the 
bank  of  the  creek,  an  occasional  glimpse  at  a  herd  of  cattle,  all  of  which 
subjects  are  good  material  for  artistic  pictures  and  offer  numerous  opportu¬ 
nities  for  various  compositions,  and  one  to  obtain  the  best  results  must 
necessarily  have  an  aCtive  sense  of  perception,  a  quick  eye  and  hand. 

For  all  photographic  work  including  rapid  movement,  sunlight  is 
necessary.  The  nearer  the  objeCt  to  be  photographed  is  to  the  camera  the 
more  rapid  must  be  the  working  of  the  shutter.  If  the  reader  is  of  an 
experimental  turn,  he  has  fully  learned,  from  his  experiences  in  development, 
the  result  of  making  a  snap-shot  on  a  cloudy  day. 

PHOTOGRAPHING  MOVING  OBJECTS. 

In  most  instances  where  the  beginner  attempts  the  photographing  of 
moving  objects,  the  result  will  be  disappointing,  this  is  due  solely  to  his  lack 
of  appreciation  of  the  circumstances  and  the  actual  conditions  confronting 
him.  For  example,  he  takes  his  camera  to  the  race  track  to  photograph  a 
friendly  brush  between  local  trotters. 


24 


OUT- DO  OR  IVOR  A'. 


Securing  a  position  just  under  the  wire  he  waits  for  the  finish,  and  as 
the  horses  rush  by  at  a  2.10  clip  he  snaps  them  broadside  from  a  distance 
of  ten  feet,  and  fails  to  understand  why  the  negative  should  show  nothing 
but  a  blur,  for  he  will  have  nothing  else.  The  reason  for  his  failure  is  this  ; 
if  he  has  a  double  lens  instrument  with  an  F.  P.  K.  automatic  shutter  it  has 
worked  in  approximately  Og  of  a  second,  an  apparently  very  short  space  of 
time,  but  we  find  on  figuring  it  out  that  a  horse  covering  a  mile  in  2.10 
covers  40  feet  and  8  inches  in  one  second  of  time  or  over  nine  inches  in  yg- 
of  a  second,  the  time  the  shutter  is  open — a  sufficient  distance  to  make  a 
most  decided  blur.  The  distance  the  image  will  move  on  the  plate  during 
exposure  is  to  the  distance  the  object  moves,  as  the  focal  length  of  the 
lens  is  to  the  distance  from  lens  to  object.  In  this  case  we  will  suppose  the 
focus  of  the  lens  to  be  six  inches,  and  we  know  the  distance  from  lens  to 
object  to  be  ten  feet  (120  inches)  and  the  distance  the  object  moves 
approximately  nine  inches.  We  will  let  X  stand  for  distance  image  moves 
on  plate  and  it  gives  us  the  following  equation  :  X  :  9  :  :  6  :  I20  =  74g. 
It  is  obvious  that  if  the  object  moves  T%-  of  an  inch  on  the  plate  the  picture 
will  be  ruined.  We  find  then  that  in  order  to  take  pictures  of  moving 
objects  at  right  angles  there  are  two  factors  of  prime  importance — the  speed 
of  the  shutter  and  the  distance  from  the  object.  In  the  ordinary  amateur 
outfit  the  shutter  speed  cannot  be  materially  increased  and  we  must  there¬ 
fore  take  the  picture  from  further  away.  Experiment  has  proven  that  in 
order  to  successfully  take  pictures  of  rapidly  moving  horses,  etc. ,  from  a 
position  near  by  and  at  right  angles  the  shutter  must  work  in  from  j^g  to 
of  a  second  (Muybridge  claimed  to  have  used  a  shutter  working  in  of  a 
second)  and  this  extreme  speed  necessitates  a  special  camera  and  lens  as  well 
as  a  special  shutter.*  But  there  are  tricks  in  all  trades  and  satisfactory 
pictures  of  rapidly  moving  objects  can 
be  readily  made  by  photographing  them 
from  partly  in  front  as  well  as  from  a 
reasonable  distance.  The  accompanying 
picture  of  the  Empire  State  Express, 
moving  at  full  speed,  shows  plainly  what 
can  be  done  in  this  direction.  It  was 
made  with  a  Pocket  Kodak  and  is  a 
good  illustration  of  what  can  be  accom¬ 
plished  by  taking  the  picture  from  a 
point  at  a  considerable  distance  from 
the  object  and  also  somewhat  ahead  of  it.  By  acting  on  this  hint  the 
amateur  can  soon  learn  to  take  pictures  of  rapidly  moving  objects,  and  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  largely  avoid  the  disagreeable  blurring. 


*  For  this  special  work  we  recommend  the  use  of  a  Graflex  Camera. 


OUT-DOOR  WORK. 


25 


STREET  PHOTOGRAPHY. 

There  are  a  few  points  that  are  essential  to  all  those  who  are  about  to 
attempt  street  work,  one  of  which  is  to  work  quickly,  attracting  as  little 
attention  as  possible  ;  another  is  to  be  able  to  take  in  a  pleasing  and 
attractive  situation  at  a  glance.  By  combining  these  we  are  enabled  to 
make  exposures  without  the  annoyance  of  useless  and  sometimes  embarrass¬ 
ing  questions  and  situations.  This  can  easily  be  accomplished  if  one  is 
familiar  with  all  the  workings  of  his  camera,  can  level  it  quickly  and  make 
the  exposure  the  instant  he  has  the  objeCt  in  the  right  position  in  the 
finder.  You  will  frequently  notice  upon  the  examination  of  pictures  taken 
on  the  street  that  a  number  of  people  were  looking  at  the  camera  when  the 
exposure  was  made.  For  instance,  take  a  group  of  boys  interested  in  some 
game  ;  notice  the  action,  the  life  and  intensity  of  the  scene,  which  is  certainly 
one  of  the  rare  bits  of  street  life.  Now  if  you  are  aCtive  without  being 
conspicuous  you  will  be  able  to  record  that  scene  with  all  its  life  and  reality; 
on  the  other  hand,  should  they  become  aware  of  your  presence  they  would 
undoubtedly  lose  interest  in  the  game  and  you  would  find  most  of  the  little 
group  staring  at  the  camera.  In  that  case  the  artistic  value  of  your 
composition  is  entirely  lost. 

Another  important  point  and  one  that  must  not  be  overlooked  is  the 
holding  of  the  camera  during  the  exposure.  Many  pictures,  and  we  must 
include  those  of  all  classes,  show  that  the  point  of  view  from  which  they 
were  taken  was  too  low.  The  distance  upward  from  the  ground  or  objeCt 
upon  which  we  stand  to  the  level  of  the  eyes,  or  the  point  of  view  from 
which  we  see  our  subjeCt  will  range,  in  most  cases,  from  four  and  one-half 
to  five  and  one-half  feet.  Now  if  we  hold  the  camera  say  ten  inches  above 
our  knees  it  can  be  readily  seen  that  the  point  of  view  is  radically  changed, 
and  that  the  effeCt  produced  upon  the  eye  might  be  entirely  lost  if  taken 
from  that  position.  The  proper  place  is  against  the  chest,  or  as  high  as  we 
can  manage  it  and  still  see  what  is  in  the  finder. 


COMPOSITION. 

The  word  “composition”  as  applied  to  photography  may  be  summed 
up  in  two  words,  selection  and  arrangement.  Promiscuous  snap-shots  are, 
in  a  way,  dangerous,  as  one  gets  into  a  careless  habit  and  is  liable  to  “  snap 
shot”  everything  within  range  regardless  of  composition  and  those  points 
that  go  far  towards  making  a  picture,  and  the  result  is  that  he  often  wonders 
why  his  pictures  lack  interest. 


26 


OUT-DOOR  WORK. 


One  must  necessarily  study  composition,  select  his  subjects  and  if  it  is 
possible,  arrange  them  in  such  a  manner  that  they  are  pleasing  to  the  eye. 
Should  they  be  immovable,  such  as  buildings,  street  lines,  etc.,  they  can  oe 
arranged,  in  a  sense,  by  changing  the  point  of  view  and  selecting  that  which 
gives  the  most  satisfactory  result.  One  is  frequently  able  to  make  pleasing 
pictures  from  the  most  commonplace  subjects  by  giving  them  attention 
and  study. 


LIGHTING  THE  SUBJECT. 

The  lighting  of  your  subjeCt  is  a  matter  of  importance,  having  much  to 
do  with  the  results  obtained  and  enhancing  the  value  of  the  composition. 
Beginners,  as  a  rule,  when  making  exposures  in  the  sunlight,  should  have 
the  sun  behind  the  back  or  over  the  shoulder,  but  the  advancement  of  the 
amateur  warrants  further  information  on  the  subjeCf.  Effective  pictures  may 
frequently  be  made  by  having  the  sun  to  one  side,  and  at  various  times  the 
value  of  the  picture  is  increased  by  its  being  a  trifle  to  the  front.  (In  this 
case  it  is  necessary  to  shade  the  lens  to  keep  out  direCt  sunlight  while  mak¬ 
ing  the  exposure. ) 

For  illustration  we  will  take  a  tree  in  the  bright  sunshine  ;  now  if  you 
will  take  the  trouble  to  walk  around  it  and  closely  observe  the  different 
effects  of  light  and  shade  you  will  notice  that  when  you  face  the  tree  and  the 
sun  is  directly  back  of  you  that  the  tree  has  the  appearance  of  being  flat  ;  as 
you  move  gradually  to  the  right  or  left  you  will  see  that  part  of  it  is  in  shadow, 
and  as  you  arrive  at  an  angle  of  90  degrees  with  your  first  position  you  will 
find  that  one  side  is  in  the  sunlight  while  the  opposite  side  is  in  shadow, 
and  that  it  stands  out  with  the  pleasing  contrast  of  light  and  shade,  thus 
giving  depth  and  roundness  to  the  composition  of  your  picture.  The 
shadows  are  also  to  be  studied.  These  should  be  transparent  to  a  degree, 
always  containing  detail.  Heavy  black  shadows  devoid  of  detail  are  always 
a  detriment  to  the  composition  of  your  picture.  When  the  sun  is  very 
bright  and  the  lights  are  strong  while  the  shadows  are  black,  the  result  with 
a  snap  shot  would  be  too  much  contrast.  This  can  be  overcome  by  a  very, 
very  short  time  exposure,  resulting  in  a  softening  of  the  high  lights  and  an 
added  amount  of  detail  to  the  shadows. 

When  photographing  boats,  the  point  of  view  to  be  obtained  (if 
possible)  should  be  such  that  the  shadow  effeCts  on  the  water  are  made  to 
help  the  composition. 

The  above  gives  one  an  idea  of  lighting  from  which  he  can  work, 
increasing  or  decreasing  the  light  and  shade  according  to  his  fancy. 


OUT- DOOR  WORK. 


27 


LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 

The  photographic  study  of  nature  will  always  remain  a  chief  source  of 
pleasure  to  the  enthusiastic  amateur,  giving  as  it  does  the  opportunities, 
nowhere  else  obtained,  to  display  his  taste  in  choice  of  composition,  and  his 
ideas  of  that  which  is  most  pleasing  to  the  eye.  Care  in  selecting  the  best 
point  of  view  from  which  to  take  a  subject  is  of  more  importance  than  obtain¬ 
ing  sharpness  of  detail.  A  question  often  asked  is  :  “  What  is  good  composi¬ 
tion  in  landscape  photography?”  Another  question  supplemental  to  the 
above  :  ‘‘Are  there  any  rules  for  composition?  ”  There  are,  and  many,  but 
frequently  when  we  attempt  to  make  use  of  them  they  do  not  fit  the  subjeCt. 
(There  are,  however,  some  that  can  be  used  with  entire  satisfaction  ;  of 
those  we  shall  speak  later. )  So  we  would  say  that  a  good  composition  is 
one  that  is  pleasing  to  the  eye,  one  that  leaves  you  with  that  feeling  which 
is  experienced  when  you  are  convinced  that  you  have  the  best  that  can  be 
made  from  the  subject  in  hand,  the  feeling  justified  by  the  result  obtained. 

Composition  needs  study,  continual  study,  and  to  obtain  the  best  results 
one  must  necessarily  improve  his  knowledge  of  the  beautiful  in  nature,  that 
he  may  be  able  to  select  those  ‘‘bits”  which  convey  to  him  a  feeling  of 
entire  satisfaction.  To  obtain  the  best  results  that  feeling  must  necessarily 
be  cultivated.  Frequently  one  fails  to  see  that  which  is  essential  to  making 
a  good  picture,  or  he  fails  to  distinguish  the  essentials  from  the  non-essen¬ 
tials  ;  he  may  have  good  ideas,  but  he  fails  to  carry  them  out. 

Do  not  be  discouraged  because  upon  studying  the  composition  of  a 
picture  you  have  made,  you  exclaim,  “Why,  that  is  lop-sided!  ”  or  “  Look 
where  I  have  placed  the  tree!  ”  but  give  it  some  thought,  convince  yourself 
that  the  same  subjeCt  taken  from  another  point  of  view,  perhaps  taken  at 
another  time  of  day  when  the  sunlight  would  certainly  change  the  aspeCt  of 
the  scene,  must  turn  out  far  different  results,  then  try  again.  It  will 
frequently  happen,  there  will  exist  little  similarity  between  the  two  prints, 
although  both  were  taken  from  the  same  subjeCt,  one  giving  entire  satis¬ 
faction,  the  other  none. 

A  mistake  often  made  by  the  amateur  is  that  he  tries  to  get  too  much 
into  his  picture  ;  in  other  words,  he  covers  too  much  field.  For  instance, 
he  makes  a  picture  containing  a  bridge,  a  herd  of  cattle,  a  few  trees,  a  small 
body  of  water  ;  while  the  distance  may  contain  a  range  of  mountainous 
country.  A  composition  of  this  description  in  most  cases  might  be  divided 
to  good  advantage  into  four  or  five  pictures  ;  the  placing  of  all  in  one 
divides  the  picture  into  sections,  the  result  is  that  it  fails  to  be  interesting. 
One  should  seleCt  some  one  objeCt  for  his  picture  ;  this  should  be  the  main 
point  of  interest,  one  that  arrests  the  eye  immediately  the  view  is  placed 


(3) 


28 


GUT-DOOR  WORK. 


before  him.  When  this  has  been  selected  all  other  features  of  the  composi¬ 
tion  should  be  of  secondary  consideration.  If  at  times  it  is  found  necessary 
to  include  something  that  might  be  a  detriment,  it  is  often  possible  to  put 
it  slightly  out  of  focus  without  destroying  the  principal  object 

The  next  point  is  placing  the  main  objecfl  of  interest  ;  if  it  can  be  avoided 
do  not  locate  it  in  the  center,  but  rather  at  one  side  or  the  other.  It  may 
be  the  end  of  a  road,  perhaps  a  house  in  the  distance,  and  to  call  attention 
to  that  fa<5t  the  lines  of  your  composition  should  converge  towards  it.  You 
will  often  notice  upon  glancing  at  the  picture  of  a  landscape  that  the  eye  is 
drawn  to  one  point.  This  is  caused  by  the  lines  of  the  composition  leading 
to  that  point,  the  objefil  of  interest,  it  having  been  studied  to  produce  that 
effect.  When  taking  the  picture  of  a  house  do  not  get  diredtly  in  front  of  it, 
but  at  one  side,  thereby  showing  it  in  perspective.  This  will  also  apply  to 
street  scenes  ;  do  not  take  a  view  of  the  street  from  its  center,  but  from  one 
side. 

There  are  a  few  rules  that  can  in  most  cases  be  followed  with  good 
results.  The  horizon  line,  which  in  most  landscapes  is  the  more  conspicu¬ 
ous,  should  never  divide  the  picture  into  two  equal  parts,  but  should  be 
-  either  one-third  from  the  top  or  one-third  from  the  bottom.  When  one  has 
subjects  in  the  near  foreground,  the  line  should  be  about  one-third  from 
the  top,  while  for  broad,  expansive  views  it  should  be  at  the  same  distance 
from  the  bottom.  With  the  latter  one  should  have,  if  possible,  a  clouded 
sky. 

FIGURES. 

The  introduction  of  figures  into  the  landscape  may  increase  its  value  ; 
it  may  also  mar  its  effect.  Figures,  to  help  your  composition,  should  be  in 
action  ;  in  other  words,  they  should  not  be  aware  of  the  fact  that  they  are 
being  photographed.  Many  of  the  most  beautiful  landscape  effects  contain 
figures  and  when  the  pose  is  in  harmony  with  the  composition  the  result  is 
always  pleasing. 

CLOUDS. 

Clouds,  when  possible  to  obtain,  are  an  advantage  in  the  composition 
of  a  landscape,  breaking  up,  as  they  do,  the  usual  monotony  of  a  blank  sky, 
and  adding  much  to  the  beauty  and  interest  of  the  picture.  A  prettily 
clouded  sky  is  often  the  redeeming  feature  of  an  otherwise  poor  composition. 
Two  practical  methods  of  getting  good  clouds  in  your  prints  are  given  in 
the  special  article  on  page  165. 


Pictorial  Photography. 


Pictorial  photography  may  be  broadly  divided  into  two  classes  ;  land¬ 
scapes  and  figure  studies.  Either  line  is  a  study  of  itself,  yet  so  much 
depends  upon  the  personality  of  the  operator  that  we  can  only  indicate  a 
few  of  the  qualities,  some  at  least  of  which  are  necessary  in  every  real 
picture,  whether  photograph  or  painting.  First  of  all  there  must  be  a 


E.  W.  ENFIELD. 


motif,  a  reason  for  making  the  pidure.  This  motif  may  be  one  of  the  fol¬ 
lowing  : — to  preserve  a  record  of  some  interesting  place  or  occasion,  to 
pidure  the  beauty  of  some  bit  of  landscape  under  certain  conditions,  to  tell 
a  story  by  means  of  a  pidure,  or  to  produce  a  pidure  which  shall  appeal  to 
the  observer  by  its  beauty  of  line  or  tone.  A  successful  pidure  may  com- 


30 


PICTORIAL  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


bine  more  than  one  of  these  qualities,  but  one  is  always  dominant  and  there 
should  never  be  any  question  as  to  the  principal  motif  which  caused  its 
being. 

A  picture  which  may  be  made  as  a  record  of  some  place  interesting  to 
the  photographer  will  be  greatly  enhanced  if  it  gives  evidence  of  good  com- 


Rusthall  Quarry . 


H.  P.  ROBINSON. 


position  and  the  correct  rendering  of  beautiful  tones.  Such  a  result  has 
been  attained  in  “Rusthall  Quarry’’  by  Mr.  Robinson.  Note  the  beauty 
of  composition  both  in  the  lines  and  the  masses  of  light  and  shade.  This 
piint  is  what  may  be  termed  a  “record  of  fact’’,  but  it  is  nevertheless  a 
beautiful  picture,  one  which  would  appeal  to  the  observer  for  its  own  sake. 


PICTORIAL  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


3i 


Much  has  been  written 
about  the  study  of  the 
rules  of  composition  but 
we  would  impress  upon 
the  reader  that  composi¬ 
tion  is  not  an  exact 
science  to  be  learned  like 
the  multiplication  table. 
A  few  of  the  elementary 
rules  of  composition 
which  are  principally  in 
the  form  of  “don’ts” 
will  certainly  help  the 
novice  but  the  study  of 
beautiful  pictures  will  be 
of  far  greater  assistance 
to  the  ambitious  beginner. 

The  Tramp  of  Many  Feet.  Miss  lillian  s.  ovven.  .......  , 

Avoid  dividing  the  pic¬ 
ture  space  (viz.  all  within  the  boundary  lines  of  the  composition)  into 
equal  parts  by  straight  lines.  If  your  subject  is  such  that  the  horizon 
line  is  irregular  as  in  “Wind 
Swept  ’’  much  is  gained.  This 
is  a  picture  which  interests  one 
largely  because  of  the  varying 
gradations,  both  in  the  sky  and 
foreground.  Take  note  of  the 
beautiful  range  of  tone  caused 
by  the  play  of  light  upon  the 
sand  in  the  foreground.  The 
sky  is  not  one  large  expanse 
of  white  paper,  but  of  delicate 
grey  tones.  Such  a  sky  gives 
the  real  effect  of  luminosity. 

The  introduction  of  animal 
life  into  the  composition  often 
gives  us  a  story  telling  picture. 

This  is  well  shown  in  “The 
Tramp  of  Many  Feet”  where 
the  artist  has  not  lost  sight  of 
the  value  of  beauty  in  the  com¬ 
position  and  the  rendering  of  A  Study.  LAURA  ADAMS  ARMER. 


32 


PICTORIAL  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


atmosphere.  Here  we  have  an  effective  example  of  contrasting  lines  ;  the 
strong  vertical  lines  of  the  tree  trunks  in  the  left  hand  side  of  the  picture 
echoed  by  the  tree  trunks  in  the  distance  upon  the  right  are  beautifully  con¬ 
trasted  with  the  curving  mass  of  sheep  straggling  up  the  hillside.  And 
the  sense  of  aerial  perspective  given  by  the  haze  over  the  roadway  through 
which  we  just  see  the  shepherd  and  the  hill  away  beyond  is  superb. 

Landscape  pictures  containing  figures  are  of  two  kinds  ;  those  in  which 


Le  Peintre . 


M.  M.  LA1LLER. 


the  landscape  is  of  greatest  importance  with  the  figures  as  accessories  and 
those  where  the  landscape  furnishes  the  setting  to  a  figure,  a  group  of 
figures.  “Le  Peintre”  by  M.  M.  Lailler  is  an  excellent  example  of  the 
latter  class.  The  very  positions  of  the  two  men  at  the  left  of  the  painter,  so 
busy  at  his  canvas,  denote  absorbing  interest.  The  single  figure  of  the  boy, 
who  apparently  would  like  to  get  a  closer  view  of  the  canvas,  did  he  but 
dare,  standing  out  so  prominently  against  the  shimmer  of  the  water,  serves 
to  balance  the  pidure.  Place  your  finger  over  the  figure  of  the  boy  and 
you  will  at  once  see  how  one  sided  the  composition  would  be  without  him. 
This  pidure  and  ‘  ‘  A  little  Lunch  ’  ’ ,  show  not  only  what  can  be  accomplished 


PICTORIAL  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


33 


with  the  Kodak,  but'  are  pictures  which  could  hardly  be  made  with  anything 
but  a  hand  camera.  Such  pictures  are  sometimes  said  to  be  merely  acci¬ 
dental,  but  in  the  truest  sense  this  is  not  so.  They  may  be  accidental  in 
their  grouping  and  the  combination  of  tone  and  atmosphere,  but  it  was 
not  accidental  that  the  Kodaker  grasped  the  opportunity  nor  that  he  was 
able  to  make  negatives  and  prints  giving  such  evidence  of  artistic  feeling. 

In  all  nature,  what  is  more  beautiful  than  the  human  face  and  figure? 
Artists  of  every  age  and  working  in  every  medium  have  striven  to  give  voice 
to  that  beauty.  That 
such  work  is  within  the 
range  of  the  Kodak  is 
made  evident  in  “A 
Study”  by  Laura  Adams 
Armer.  Such  a  picture 
may  not  appeal  to  many 
people  because  it  tells  no 
story  in  a  literal  sense. 

But  it  does  tell  the  story 
of  Beauty.  Beauty  of 
Character  is  certainly 
shown  in  the  face  of  the 
subjeCt  as  well  as  beauty 
of  line  and  tone  in  the 
print.  The  picture  is 
decorative  in  its  com¬ 
position.  Note  how 
effectively  the  oval  lines 
of  the  mirror  are  con¬ 
trasted  with  the  long 
severe  and  almost  straight 
lines  in  the  gown.  There 
is  also  much  to  admire 
in  the  tonal  qualities  of 
the  picture. 

Again  we  would  say  if  you  wish  to  make  beautiful  pictures,  study 
composition  and  study  pictures.  When  you  see  a  picture  that  appeals  to 
you,  ask  yourself  the  reason  for  its  so  doing.  Learn  to  recognize  the 
qualities  that  make  a  picture  successful.  Remember  the  few  following 
simple  rules  of  composition  :  Do  not  divide  your  picture  space  into  equal 
parts  by  having  the  unbroken  horizon  line  across  the  center.  Always  place 
your  principal  objeCt  either  above  or  below  and  to  one  side  of  the  center. 
Do  not  let  your  picture  be  one  sided  by  having  a  heavy  mass  of  shadow  or 


“A  Little  Lunch.''' 


MRS.  HELEN  P.  GATCH. 


34 


PI  CTO  R IAL  PHO  TO  GRAPHY. 


tone  near  one  edge  unless  there  is  some  smaller  dark  spot  near  the  opposite 
end  to  balance  the  composition.  Try  to  get  atmosphere  and  correct  tonal 
values  into  your  picture,  the  first  by  working  when  the  conditions  of  light 
are  suitable,  and  the  second  by  correct  exposure,  development  and  printing. 
And  finally  aim  for  simplicity.  Do  not  crowd  your  picture  with  meaning¬ 
less  details.  In  this  short  article  we  have  striven  to  give  a  few  ideas  which 
would  start  the  novice  in  pidorial  photography  in  the  proper  direction. 
Remember  no  matter  how  good  the  work  you  may  do  there  is  always  room 
for  improvement,  and  always  something  to  learn  in  the  making  of  pictures. 


Portraiture  at  Home. 


There  is  no  more  interesting  branch  of  picture  making  than  portraiture, 
and  the  required  accessories  can  be  found  in  every  home.  To  attain  good 
results  it  may  take  a  little  patience  and  study,  but  for  all  this,  the  amateur 
will  be  well  repaid  in  the  satisfaction  brought  by  his  first  successes.  Por¬ 
traits  may  be  made  either  indoors  or  out,  in  the  daytime  by  the  light  of  the 
sun  or  by  night  by  the  aid  of  the  flashlight.  The  following  leCiures  dealing 
with  the  subjed  thoroughly  cover  the  ground  and  should  be  carefully 
studied  by  those  desirous  of  making  portraits. 

HOME  PORTRAITURE. 

By  FRANK  MORRIS  STEADMAN. 

The  author  of  this  article,  in  company  with  Mr.  G.  E.  Trager,  has 
practiced  “Home  Portraiture”  with  a  Kodak  for  eleven  years,  with  the 
most  notable  success.  The  wide  difference  in  the  light  conditions  in  the 
various  houses  where  the  pictures  have  been  made,  rendered  it  necessary  to 
have  some  accurate  means  of  measuring  the  intensity  of  light,  and  after 
considerable  experimenting,  Eastman’s  Solio  Paper  used  in  connection  with 
simple  tables,  was  adopted  as  the  exposure  meter,  with  such  success  that 
the  proper  timing  of  negatives  ceased  to  be  one  of  the  questions  in  praCtice. 

During  the  last  four  years  in  which  the  Solio  has  been  employed  for 
measuring  light,  not  a  single  failure  has  been  made  in  exposure,  unless  per¬ 
haps  through  forgetfulness  in  placing  the  right  diaphragm.  Eastman’s 
Transparent  Film  has  been  used  entirely  in  this  work,  and  during  the  winter 
of  1902-3,  which  was  spent  in  Merida,  Yucatan,  fully  two  thousand 
exposures  were  made  and  the  negatives  developed  in  the  Kodak  Developing 
Machine  without  the  loss  of  a  single  one. 

The  term  “  Solio  Time"  used  in  this  book  expresses  the  aCtinic  inten¬ 
sity  of  an  illumination,  and  it  should  be  used  just  as  other  simple  terms  are 
used  to  express  other  quantities  or  conditions,  as:  “The  Solio  Time  at 
this  head  is  eight  seconds.”  “The  Solio  Time  of  this  landscape  is  one- 
half  second.”  Just  as  one  would  say  :  “The  length  of  this  stick  is  four 
feet or,  “The  temperature  of  this  room  is  seventy  degrees.” 

The  adoption  and  use  of  this  term  for  the  expression  of  aCtinic  values 
or  intensities  will  do  much  to  solve  the  problem  of  photographic  exposure. 


36 


PORTRAITURE  A  T  HOME. 


The  “  Solio  Time  ’  ’  at  any  subject  being  once  known  (by  measurement 
with  the  Solio  Paper)  the  exposure  becomes  simply  some  modification  of 
that  time  according  to  the  color  and  contrast  character  of  that  subject,  and 
the  selection  of  a  certain  diaphragm. 

To  obtain  the  greatest  universal  good  from  the  use  of  this  unit  expres¬ 
sion  for  adlinic  intensity,  the  photographic  workers  should  use  some  method 
of  counting  exadt  seconds,  such  as  the  one  given  in  this  article. 

The  most  delightful  phase  of  photography  is  portraiture.  If  in  the 
past  it  has  been  considered  most  difficult  by  the  amateur,  it  has  been 
because  of  a  lack  of  clear  and  concise  instructions  how  to  proceed. 

Generally,  the  greatest  difficulty  in  portraiture  is  the  lighting  of  the 
subject  and  the  timing  of  the  exposure.  The  object  of  this  book  is  to  pre¬ 
sent  a  most  simple,  and  at  the  same  time  accurate  method  of  determining 
the  right  exposure  to  give  ;  and  to  offer  suggestions  as  to  lighting  which 
will  enable  the  amateur  to  make  good  portrait  pictures. 

LIGHT  IN  PORTRAITURE. 

In  home  portraiture  a  window  having  a  full  view  of  the  sky  should  be 
selected  if  possible.  It  should  preferably  be  on  the  shady  side  of  the  house 
so  that  the  sunlight  will  not  enter  it.  If  the  window  is  low,  pin  a  dark  cloth 
across  it  covering  as  high  up  as  the  subject’s  head,  so  that  light  will  not 
come  up  from  below  on  to  the  face  and  strike  the  lower  part  of  the  features 
and  spoil  the  modulation.  See  that  no  brightly  lighted  part  of  the  room, 
as  a  window  or  door,  is  in  range  of  the  lens. 

PLACING  THE  SUBJECT. 

Place  the  subject  about  the  width  of  the  window  away  from  one  of  the 
casings.  Turn  the  face  exactly  toward  the  window  and  then  have  the  sub¬ 
ject  turn  the  head  gradually  away  until  one  side  of  the  nose  is  seen  to 
become  shaded  and  the  shadow  of  the  nose  rests  somewhere  on  the  cheek. 
The  light  must  strike  a  little  upon  both  eyes  and  both  cheeks.  The  eyes 
should  look  in  the  same  general  direction  that  the  face  is  pointed.  This  is 
the  lighting  with  which  at  least  ninety  per  cent,  of  all  portraits,  which  are 
intended  as  likenesses,  are  made,  whether  in  painting  or  photography. 

It  is  the  light  that  best  models  all  the  features  of  the  face,  and  there¬ 
fore  best  reproduces  the  likeness  of  the  subject.  Now  place  the  Kodak 
so  as  to  take  in  the  view  of  the  face  that  is  desired.  Reference  to  the 
accompanying  diagrams  will  help  you.  Adjust  the  Kodak  at  the  proper 
height.  The  lens  should,  for  a  bust  portrait,  be  about  on  a  level  with  the 


nose. 


PORTRAITURE  A  T  HOME. 


37 


DISTANCE  AND  SIZE  OF  PORTRAIT. 

Full  figures  are  made  at  about  n  ft. 

Three-quarters  figures  are  made  at  about  7  ft. 

Medium  busts  “  “  “  “  4  ft. 

Large  size  busts  “  “  “  “3/4  ft. 

If  you  have  one  of  the  small  fixed  focus  Kodaks  and  are  using  it  with 
a  portrait  attachment,  the  Kodak  should  always  be  set  at  exactly  ft.  from 
subject  ;  otherwise,  it  will  be  out  of  focus. 

If  you  are  using  a  No.  3,  No.  3A  or  No.  4  Folding  Pocket  Kodak, 
No.  4A  Folding  Kodak  or  Cartridge  Kodak,  with  the  Portrait  attachment, 
the  directions  furnished  will  enable  you  to  place  the  Kodak  at  any 
distance  desired  away  from  the  subject  and  obtain  a  portrait  of  any  size  you 
choose. 


THE  STOP  FOR  PORTRAITURE. 

In  portraiture,  always  use  the  largest  diaphragm  there  is  in  the  lens  in 
order  to  diffuse  the  background  and  to  gain  speed  in  the  exposure.  With 
those  Kodaks  which  have  rapid  rectilinear  lenses  and  shutters  with  stop 
openings  numbered  on  the  U.  S.  System,  use  stop  No.  4.  With  the  other 
Kodaks  use  the  largest  stop. 

In  the  following  pages  are  given  diagrams  showing  the  position  in  which 
to  place  the  subject  with  reference  to  the  light,  together  with  the  proper 
location  of  camera  and  reflectors.  A  careful  study  of  these  diagrams  and  of 
the  portraits  accompanying  them  will  be  of  the  utmost  advantage  in  home 
portraiture  work. 


REFLECTORS. 

With  the  subject  placed  in  the  position  desired  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
light  on  the  window  side  of  the  face  is  much  stronger  than  on  the  shadow 
side.  The  contrast  must  be  lessened  by  the  aid  of  one  or  more  reflectors, 
marked  “R”  in  the  diagrams.  White  towels  will  answer  the  purpose  well. 
In  your  first  experimenting,  move  this  reflector  close  to  and  then  away  from 
the  face,  noticing  the  absolute  control  it  gives  you  over  the  strength  of  the 
shadows.  In  the  “line”  lighting  and  the  “three-quarters”  view  it  may 
be  necessary  to  insert  a  dark  cloth  somewhat  between  the  face  and  the 
window  so  as  to  reduce  the  strength  of  light  on  the  front  of  the  face.  This 
should  be  done  only  after  the  reflectors  are  in  place  and  it  is  seen  that  the 
contrast  is  still  too  great.  The  reflectors  and  screens  may  be  held  in  place 
by  assistants.  Look  at  the  illustrations  and  see  what  a  great  number  of 
different  lightings  may  be  obtained.  Illustration  No.  5  shows  the  subjed 


38 


PORTRAITURE  AT  HOME. 


No.  t.  Front  View. 

KODAK  NEGATIVE. 


IV.  IV. —  Window  casings. 

A. — Subject.  The  pointer  indicates  direc¬ 
tion  in  which  face  is  turned. 

R. — Reflector. 

C. — Camera. 

To  obtain  this  lighting  place  subject  opposite 
one  of  the  casings  and  about  the  width  of  window 
away.  Set  camera  and  reflector  as  indicated. 
Have  the  face  turned  so  that  the  side  of  the 
nose  away  from  the  window  is  shaded,  while 
the  light  touches  the  cheek  upon  that  side.  See 
pages  36 ,  37  and  39. 


Arrangement  for  No.  i. 


FOR  TR  Air  C/RE  A  T  HOME. 


39 


against  the  casing,  and  Nos.  3  and  4  almost  against  the  window  glass.  It  is 
seen  therefore  that  there  need  be  no  fear  of  having  the  subject  close  to  the 
window.  With  children  it  is  advisable  to  raise  the  lower  part  of  the  sash 
and  place  them  against  the  side  of  the  window  farthest  from  the  Kodak. 
Keep  the  direct  light  from  the  sky  from  shining  into  the  lens.  Never  allow 
the  lower  edge  of  the  reflector  to  drop  lower  than  the  lower  part  of  the  face  ; 
otherwise,  the  reflected  light  coming  up  from  below  will  “flatten”  the 
cheek  on  the  shady  side.  Also  keep  the  reflector  well  forward. 

See  that  the  position  of  the  subject  is  natural  and  characteristic. 
Forced  positions  should  be  avoided.  Vary  slightly  the  positions  of  head 
and  body. 

When  working  with  Cartridge  Kodaks  for  busts,  the  Kodak  cannot  be 
aimed  by  looking  in  the  finder  but  must  be  “sighted.”  The  question  of 
height  can  be  easily  determined  by  standing  back  a  few  feet  so  as  to  view 
both  camera  and  sitter.  To  center  the  image  stand  behind  the  camera  and 
sight  over  the  top.  A  pencil  laid  over  the  top  of  the  Kodak  should  point 
at  the  eyes. 


MEASURING  THE  LIGHT. 

TIMING  THE  EXPOSURE. 

Now  comes  a  very  important  part  of  the  work — measuring  the  light — 
in  order  to  give  the  correct  exposure.  The  system  of  measurement  which  the 
author  herewith  presents  has  been  practiced  by  him  with  the  very  best 
results.  The  system  is  based  upon  the  fact  that  Solio  paper  made  by  the 
Eastman  Kodak  Company  is  constant  in  its  sensitiveness  to  light. 

To  take  the  measurement  of  the  light,  expressible  in  seconds  of  time, 
proceed  as  follows  : 

Provide  a  strip  of  thin  cardboard  or  heavy  opaque  paper  about  two 
inches  wide  and  six  or  eight  long.  Fold  this  across  the  center  so  the  card¬ 
board  will  resemble  the  cover  of  a  small  book  and  near  the  end  of  one  flap 
cut  a  small  square  hole. 

Place  a  fresh  strip  of  Solio,  with  the  face  up,  under  the  hole  and  cover 
the  opening  with  a  coin.  Hold  this  cardboard  as  near  as  possible  to  where 
the  face  of  the  subject  is  to  be  placed  and  so  that  the  hole  exactly  faces  the 
light.  Then  remove  the  coin,  expose  32  seconds  and  replace  ;  now  raise  the 
cover  and  look  at  the  tint  on  the  Solio.  It  will  probably  be  very  pro¬ 
nounced.  Pull  the  strip  up  slightly  so  as  to  bring  it  to  a  fresh  place  and 
give  an  exposure  of  16  seconds.  If  the  discoloration  on  the  Solio  is  still 
very  plainly  visible,  give  another  exposure  of  8  seconds  ;  then  one  of  4  sec¬ 
onds  ;  then  one  of  2  seconds  in  order  that  you  may  discover  the  shortest 


40 


POR  TRAIT  UR  E  A  T  HOME. 


Arrangement  for  No.  2. 
THREE-QUARTER  VIEW. 


To  secure  this  lighting , 
place  subject  opposite  one  of 
the  casings ,  the  width  of  the 
window  away.  The  position 
of  the  head  is  the  same  as  in 
No.  1,  front  view,  the  camera 
in  this  case  being  farther from 
the  window ;  the  reflector 
occupying  about  the  same  posi¬ 
tion  as  in  No.  1.  See  page  jS. 


IV.  IV — Window  casings. 

A. — Subject.  The  pointer  indicates 

direction  in  which  face  is  turned. 

R.  — Reflector. 

S.  — Opaque  screen  to  reduce  slightly 
strength  of  direct  light. 

C. — Camera. 


No.  2.  Three-Quarter  View. 
UNRETOUCHED  NEGATIVE.  MADE  WITH  CARTRIDGE  KODAK. 
DEVELOPED  IN  KODAK  DEVELOPING  MACHINE. 


PORTRAITURE  AT  HOME. 


4i 


COUNTING  TIME. 

It  is  not  always  prac¬ 
tical  to  use  a  watch  in 
counting  seconds.  After  a 
little  practice,  however,  one 
can  learn  to  count  seconds 
with  great  accuracy  without 
a  watch  by  counting  in  the 
following  way  :  (Begin  with 
naught. ) 

Naught 

one  —  half  —  and  —  one 
one  —  half  —  and  —  two 
one  —  half  —  and  —  three,  etc. 


number  of  seconds  that  will  give  a  just  plainly  discernible  discoloration  to 
the  Soho.  This  is  the  “  Solio  Time.”  Therefore,  the  “Solto  Time"  of 
any  light  is  the  number  of  seco?ids  it  has  taken  to  give  a  barely  discernible 
tint  to  the  Solio  paper  in  that  light.  On  account  of  the  great  latitude  of 
Eastman  film,  sufficient  accuracy  will  be  obtained  by  taking  the  Solio  Time 
in  even  seconds  such  as  1, 

2,  4,  8,  16,  32  seconds;  or 
I,  2,  4,  8,  minutes,  etc. 


Practice  counting  by  the 
second  hand  on  a  watch, 
giving  the  accent  on  the 
words,  one,  two,  three,  etc., 
so  as  to  keep  track  of  the 
number  of  seconds  that  have 
been  counted.  When  the  No.  3.  variation  of  No.  6  (page  45). 

‘  ‘  Solio  Time  ”  at  a  certain  THE  SUBJECT’S  HEAD  AGAINST  THE  window  glass. 

KODAK  NEGATIVE. 

point  has  been  ascertained, 

it  becomes  very  simple  and  certain  to  give  the  correct  exposure  by  reference 
to  the  following  tables  : 

Table  ‘‘A’  is  for  use  with  the  Kodaks  having  rapid  rectilinear  lenses 
and  the  numbered  stop  openings  on  the  shutter. 

Table  ‘‘  B  is  for  the  fixed  focus  Kodaks  which  will  not  work  with  so 
large  an  opening  as  the  others  and  which  will  therefore  require  a  longer 
exposure. 


42 


POR  TRAITURE  A  T  HOME. 


TABLE  “A”. 

Stop  U.  S.  4  or  f- 8  for  Cartridge  Kodaks,  No.  3,  No.  3A,  No.  4  Fold¬ 
ing  Pocket,  No.  4A  Folding,  and  No.  4  Screen  Focus  Kodak. 

Very  fair  complexion,  give  Solio  time. 

Average  “  “  A  “ 

Very  dark  “  “  >4  “ 

For  instance,  if  it  has  taken  8  seconds  to  create  the  standard  tint  on 
the  Solio,  the  proper  exposure  for  an  average  subjedl  would  be  %  of  that 
time,  or  2  seconds. 


TABLE  “B.” 

Largest  stop  with  Single  Lens  Kodaks.  Flexo,  No.  2  Bulls-Eye, 
No.  4  Bulls-Eye,  No.  3B  Quick  Focus,  No.  o,  No.  1,  No.  iA  Folding 
Pocket  Kodaks,  and  the  Brownie  Cameras  of  all  styles  and  sizes. 

Very  fair  complexion,  give  %  Solio  time. 

Average  “  “  'A  “  “ 

Very  dark  “  “  Full  “ 

It  will  be  found  that  by  carefully  ascertaining  the  Solio  Time  and  giving 
accurately  the  exposure  indicated,  perfectly  timed  negatives  will  always  be 
obtained. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  give  the  exposure  in  just  the  number  of  seconds 
or  fractions  of  seconds  required  by  the  table.  Suppose  the  worker  has  a 
Kodak  with  a  shutter  having  pneumatic  attachment.  Set  the  lever  at  “  B  ” 
and  to  make  }£  of  a  second  exposure,  press  and  release  the  bulb  as  quickly 
as  possible.  To  give  a  quarter  second,  press  and  release  the  bulb  while 
saying  “quarter”  at  talking  speed.  For  half  a  second  say  “Naught— 
One-Half”,  always  pressing  at  the  first  and  releasing  at  the  last  syllable  ; 
and  for  one  second,  “  Naught— One-half  and  One  ”.  With  the  fixed  focus 
Kodaks  and  Brownies,  work  the  shutter  lever  of  course  instead  of  press¬ 
ing  the  bulb.  Use  a  tripod  or  other  firm  support. 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  NEGATIVES. 

The  most  satisfactory  results  in  development  can  be  obtained  by 
developing  film  in  the  Kodak  Tank  Developer.  Develop  for  ten  or  twenty 
minutes  according  to  the  instructions  in  the  manual.  If  the  negatives  are 
generally  too  dense  or  too  thin  to  suit  the  operator,  vary  the  length  of 
development  as  desired. 


FOR  TRAITURE  A  T  HOME. 


43 


REDUCTION. 


When  either  reducing  or  intensifying  is  to  be  done  it  is  desirable  to 
use  a  freshly  mixed  hypo  bath  for  fixing — otherwise  stains  may  result  and 
the  negatives  are  liable  to  fade  after  intensification.  If  any  negative  is  more 
intense  than  is  desirable  for  the  paper  that  is  to  be  employed,  it  may  now 
be  reduced  to  the  desired  point  in  the 


REDUCER, 


Ferri-Cyanide  of  Potassium,  ...  Volume  of  a  pea. 
Hyposulphite  of  Soda,  -  -  6  to  io  times  that  volume. 

Water, . About  a  quarter  of  a  glass. 


Flow  this  solution 
over  the  negative  to  be 
reduced  until  the  desired 
intensity  is  reached,  after 
which  it  should  be  washed 
and  dried  in  the  usual 


manner. 

If  the  bath  works 
too  fast  with  the  quantity 
of  water,  add  more  water. 

Negatives  may  also 
be  reduced  locally  by 
applying  this  solution 
(which  should  then  be 
mixed  with  less  water  so 
as  to  work  faster)  to  the 
part  that  is  too  intense, 
with  a  camel’s  hair  brush 
or  a  tuft  of  absorbent 
cotton. 

To  reduce  locally, 
lay  the  negative  on  a 
ground  glass  and  have 
the  light  strike  the  glass 
from  below  so  that  the 

,  ,  ,  ,  No.  4.  Variation  of  No.  2. 

\\  ork  may  De  done  Dy  THE  HEAD  RESTING  against  the  glass,  kodak  negative. 

transmitted  light. 

A  frame  made  to  hold  the  glass  will  leave  the  hands  free  for  the  work. 


14) 


44 


FOR  TRAITURE  A  T  HOME. 


No.  5.  Variation  of  No.  i. 

THE  SUBJECT’S  HEAD  AGAINST  THE  CASING.  KODAK  NEGATIVE. 


An  incandescent  electric 
light  may  be  placed  under 
the  glass,  or  a,  mirror 
may  be  placed  in  the 
frame  so  as  to  reflect  the 
light  of  a  lamp  up  against 
the  glass. 

By  adding  only  a 
very  little  water  to  the 
reducing  agents  the  re¬ 
duction  may  be  made  to 
act  in  a  second  or  less 
and  the  worker,  with  a 
little  practice,  can  obtain 
by  the  quantity  of  water 
added  just  the  strength 
or  speed  of  action  that  is 
desired. 

In  reducing  very 
small  parts,  have  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  part,  as  well 
as  the  brush,  free  from 
excess  of  liquid,  so  that 
the  reducer  will  not  flow 
or  run  to  adjoining  parts  ; 
have  some  wet  cotton  in 
the  left  hand  to  pass  over 


the  part  as  soon  as  the  right  intensity  is  reached. 

If  desired,  a  reduced  negative  may  be  intensified,  after  it  is  washed  in 
three  or  four  clean  waters. 


INTENSIFICATION. 

If  for  any  reason  a  negative  is  not  sufficiently  intense  or  contrasted,  it 
may  be  intensified,  either  generally  or  locally,  in  the  following  solution  : 

No.  1.  60  grains  of  Bi- Chloride  of  Mercury  (Corrosive 

sublimate)  Poison,  in  -  -  -  -  8  oz.  water. 

No.  2.  75  grains  of  Iodide  of  Potassium,  in  -  -  1  oz.  water. 

No.  3.  120  grains  of  Hypo,  in  -  -  -  x  oz.  water. 

Dissolve  separately  and  combine  No.  1  with  No.  2,  and  the  resulting 
mixture  with  No.  3. 


PORTRAITURE  AT  HOME. 


45 


No.  6  Line  Lighting. 

KODAK  NEGATIVE.  DEVELOPED  IN  KODAK  DEVELOPING  MACHINE. 


R 


Arrangement  for  No.  6. 

LINE  LIGHTING. 


IV.  IV. —  Window  Casings. 

A. —  Subject.  The  pointer  indi¬ 
cates  direction  in  which  face  is 
turned. 

R.  — Reflectors. 

S.  — Opaque  screen  to  slightly 
reduce  strength  of  direct  light. 

C. — Camera. 

For  this  lighting  note  exactly  the 
position  of  head  as  shown  in  above 
diagram.  Be  sure  that  the  ivindow 
does  not  become  part  of  the  back¬ 
ground,  as  seen  from  camera.  Two 
reflectors  are  necessary,  the  camera 
focusing  between  them.  And  if  the 
contrast  of  light  on  the  face  is  still 
excesssive,  the  screen  S  must  be  used 
to  diminish  direct  light.  See  page  jy. 


FOR  TRAITURE  A  T  HOME. 


No.  7.  Back  Lighting. 

MADE  WITH  CARTRIDGE  KODAK.  DEVELOPED  IN  KODAK  DEVELOPING  MACHINE. 


R 


W.  IV. —  Window  casings. 

A. — Subject.  The  joint  indicating 
direction  in  which  face  is  turned. 

R. — Reflector. 

C. — Camera. 

In  this  lighting  the  subject  is  some¬ 
what  farther  away  from  the  casing  than 
the  width  of  the  window.  In  placing  the 
reflector ,  care  should  be  taken  not  to  have 
it  exactly  in  front  of  the  face  or  it  might 
show  a  reflection  in  the  eyes. 


Arrangement  for  No.  7. 

BACK  LIGHTING. 


PORTRAITURE  AT  HOME. 


47 


To  dissolve  the  mercury  easily,  place  it  together  with  the  water, 
slightly  warmed,  in  a  mortar  and  grind  it. 

Guard  the  intensifier  in  a  wide  mouth  glass  stopper  bottle  and  keep  it 
in  a  secure  place,  as  it  is 
extremely  poisonous. 

Before  intensifying  see 
that  the  films  have  been 
thorougly  fixed  in  the  fresh 
hypo  bath  as  recommended, 
and  then  washed  in  four  or 
five  changes  of  water  for  at 
least  five  minutes. 

After  intensification, 
wash  and  dry  the  films  in 
the  usual  manner. 

To  intensify  negatives 
to  too  great  a  density  is 
extremely  disastrous  in  pro¬ 
ducing  the  disagreeable 
“black  and  white”  effects, 
and  should  be  carefully 
avoided. 

Negatives  should  be  re¬ 
duced  and  intensified 
direddly  after  fixation,  as 
already  described,  as  at  that 
time  the  gelatine  is  softer 
and  more  evenly  and  surely 
added  upon  by  the  solutions. 

If,  however,  it  is  desired  to 
treat  a  negative  that  already 

has  been  dried,  it  may  be  done  by  previously  soaking  it  for  20  minutes 
in  water. 


Front  View.  Same  as  No.  i. 

MADE  WITH  CARTRIDGE  KODAK. 
DEVELOPED  IN  KODAK  DEVELOPING  MACHINE. 


INTERIORS. 

In  taking  the  interiors  of  rooms  be  careful  that  no  light,  window  or 
door,  lies  in  front  of  the  lens.  See  that  the  Kodak  is  set  perpendicularly. 

The  method  of  exposing  by  the  “  Solio  Time”  may  be  followed  for 
interiors  with  just  as  satisfactory  results  as  in  portraiture.  In  interior  work, 
however,  it  is  necessary  to  use  a  smaller  stop.  With  the  Kodaks  having 
the  rapid  rectilinear  lenses  and  shutters  with  the  numbered  stop  openings, 


48 


FOR  TRAITURE  A  T  HOME. 


stop  U.  S.  32  (or  f.  22)  is  usually  small  enough.  With  the  fixed  focus 
Kodaks,  use  the  medium  stop.  Then,  having  ascertained  the  “Solio  Time” 
in  the  room,  the  time  necessary  for  exposure  may  be  easily  found  by  refer¬ 
ence  to  the  accompanying  table  : 

TABLE  “C”— FOR  INTERIORS. 

Stop  No.  32  U.  S.  or  f.  22. 

White  walls, . Give  Solio  Time. 

Medium  walls,  ......  Give  Full  Solio  Time. 

Dark  walls  and  furnishings,  -  -  Give  Double  Solio  Time. 

TABLE  “D.” 

For  medium  stop  with  fixed  focus  Kodaks. 

White  walls,  -------  Give  l/2  Solio  Time. 

Medium  walls, . Give  Full  Solio  Time. 

Dark  walls  and  furnishings,  -  -  -  Give  Double  Solio  Time. 

In  interior  work  measure  the  light  or  take  the  ‘‘Solio  Time”  at  some 
piece  of  furniture  three  or  four  steps  from  the  window  or  main  source  of 
light,  or  get  the  “  Solio  Time”  in  the  following  way,  if  the  room  is  rather 
dark  : 

Measure  the  distance  from  the  window  to  the  nearest  piece  of  furniture, 
which  should  be  placed  not  nearer  than  three  or  four  steps  from  the 
window.  Take  the  “Solio  Time”  at  a  point  ^3  the  distance  from  the 
window  to  the  piece  of  furniture.  Ten  times  that  “Solio  Time”  will  be 
the  working  “Solio  Time”  for  the  room.  Have  no  furniture  closer  than 
about  three  steps  from  the  lens  and  set  the  distance  pointer  at  12  or  15  feet, 
when  the  whole  room  will  be  sharply  focused. 


Out-of-Door  Portraiture. 


Probably  no  branch  of  the  photographic  art  is  followed  by  more  people 
than  out-of-door  portraiture.  It  seems  to  be  the  aim  of  almost  every 
novice  to  make  portraits  of  his  friends  or  family,  and  on  account  of  the 
abundance  of  light  many  beginners  make  their  early  attempts  out  of  doors. 

There  is,  however,  a  great  difference  between  a  properly  made  portrait 
and  the  under-exposed  snap  shots  made  by  so  many  beginners,  and  in  fact 
by  many  who  are  no  longer  such. 

It  is  not  a  difficult  matter  to  succeed  in  this  interesting  work  if  one  will 
but  give  a  little  time  to  the  study  of  conditions  and  approach  the  subject  in 
an  intelligent  manner.  Three  things  must  be  carefully  considered —  light, 
exposure  and  background.  Light  is  the  first  consideration.  Intense  sun¬ 
light  should  be  avoided  for  it  produces  pictures  with  chalky  highlights  and 
unpleasant  shadows.  The  light  which  you  will  obtain  upon  a  shaded  piazza 
is  almost  sure  to  be  satisfactory.  By  placing  your  subject  near  one  end  of 
the  piazza  almost  any  effect  of  lighting  may  be  obtained  by  shifting  the 
camera  and  turning  the  subjects  face  to  or  from  the  light.  If  the  house  is 
painted  a  light  color,  sufficient  light  will  usually  be  reflected  upon  the 
shadowed  side  of  the  face  without  the  aid  of  a  reflector.  Should  it  be  found 
necessary  however,  the  reflector  described  on  page  69  may  be  utilized  to 
lighten  up  the  shadows  in  precisely  the  same  way  as  described  in  the 
article  on  Home  Portraiture,  pages  35-48.  Charming  pictures  may 
often  be  made  in  a  garden  or  upon  a  lawn  when  the  conditions  of  light 
are  favorable.  By  working  when  the  sun  is  hidden  behind  fleecy  white 
clouds  a  very  fast  light  is  obtained  and  portraits  may  be  made  in  any  part  of 
the  garden  or  grounds  without  fear  of  harsh  lightings.  Such  conditions  are 
particularly  desirable  when  photographing  children,  for  a  slow  instantaneous 
exposure  may  be  made  while  holding  the  camera  in  the  hand.  Often  a 
picture  of  a  child  taken  under  such  conditions  is  highly  pleasing  to  the 
parents,  for  it  shows  the  child  amid  the  most  familiar  surroundings.  Beau¬ 
tiful  effects  of  lighting  may  sometimes  be  made  by  working  in  the  direct 
sunlight  when  the  sun  is  low  in  the  latter  part  of  the  day.  And  in  the 
numberless  effects  of  lighting  that  may  be  obtained  by  the  persistent  worker 
lies  one  of  the  great  charms  of  out-door  portraiture. 


50 


O  UT-  OF- DO  OR  POR  TRA 1 TURE. 


EXPOSURE. 

Portraits,  whether  indoors  or  out,  should  always  be  fully  exposed.  A 
full  exposure  with  proper  development  insures  a  truthful  rendering  of  the 
light  and  shade  upon  the  subject.  Chalky  white  faces  and  black  shadows 
which  under-exposure  and  forced  development  always  produce  must  be 
avoided.  The  method  of  determining  proper  exposure  for  indoor  portraits 
described  in  Mr.  Steadman’s  article  (pages  35-48)  may  be  employed  to 
excellent  advantage  for  out-door  portraits  as  well.  But  whatever  method 
you  employ  for  determining  exposure,  remember  that  it  is  always  better  to 
over-expose  than  to  under-expose. 

BACKGROUNDS. 

The  beauty  of  a  portrait  always  depends  largely  upon  the  selection  of 
a  background.  Many  otherwise  fine  pictures  are  completely  spoiled  by  an 
ugly  or  inappropriate  background.  When  working  upon  a  piazza,  a  back¬ 
ground  may  be  provided  by  stretching  a  sheet  across  the  end.  Or  for  a 
dark  background  a  brown  or  red  blanket  may  be  used.  A  door  opening 
into  the  house  with  the  figure  in  the  doorway  makes  a  good  combination. 
When  working  about  the  garden  or  grounds  of  a  house  a  natural  back¬ 
ground  should  always  be  sought.  Shrubbery,  vines,  dark  shadows  under 
the  trees  are  but  a  few  of  the  many  possibilities.  Avoid  carefully  such 
abominations  as  the  clapboard  side  of  a  house  and  picket  fences. 

In  conclusion  a  word  might  be  said  in  regard  to  development.  Aim 
for  gradation  and  softness  in  your  negatives.  If  you  use  the  Kodak  Tank 
Developer  or  the  Developing  Machine  a  little  experience  will  tell  you  the 
length  of  time  which  gives  the  most  pleasing  results.  If  you  develop  in  the 
dark-room  by  hand  it  is  well  to  use  a  rather  dilute  developer  and  be  very 
careful  not  to  carry  development  too  far. 


Amateur  Portraiture  by  Flashlight. 


BY  W.  S.  RITCH. 


Publishers  Note  -The  reader  may  be  struck  by  the  fact  that  Mr.  Ritch  uses  a  considerably 


To  say  that  the  flash  has  decided 
advantages  over  daylight  for  doing 
really  serious  work  in  portraiture 
would  seem  ridiculous  to  many 
people  ;  but  it  is  a  fact  that  any 
effect  which  can  be  had  with  day¬ 
light  can  also  be  made  with  the  flash 
by  the  proper  placing  of  the  light 
and  reflector.  Most  beautiful  work 
has  been  done  with  the  flash  of  late 
years  both  by  professionals  and 
amateurs,  but  the  fact  that  the 
pictures  were  made  by  flashlight 
being  unknown,  the  general  public 
believe  them  to  have  been  made 
with  daylight,  and  the  prevailing 
idea  of  a  flashlight  picture  seems  to 
be  those  soot  and  whitewash  things 
of  evening  party  groups. 

That  the  best  work  can  be  done 

with  the  flash  is  owing  to  the  great 

superiority  of  lenses  and  flash  material 

made  in  recent  years  over  those  of 

past  times.  By  the  use  of  the  flash 

the  subject  can  be  seated  anywhere 

in  the  room,  which  may  be  most 

convenient,  and  with  the  camera  at  Wall  paper ,  medium  dark ,  ceiling  light ,  Mo.  3 
,  ini  L  flash  Sheet.  7  feet  distant.  Stop  No.  4.  Face 

the  proper  distance,  the  flash  can  be  turned  toward  I.  Light  at  L.  Diagram  No.  1. 

placed  anywhere  it  is  deemed  neces¬ 
sary  to  make  the  desired  lighting.  The  merest  beginner  can  make  fine 
portraits  by  this  method,  as  no  special  apparatus  is  necessary  and  only 
a  few  simple  rules  must  be  observed.  To  use  an  Eastman  Flash  Sheet  it 


52 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


No.  2. 

Wall  paper  rather  light ,  No.  j  Flash  Sheet ,  8 feet  distant ,  in 
order  to  cover  full  figure  and  surroundings.  Stop  No.  8. 
Face  turned  toward  M.  Light  at  1. 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


53 


is  only  necessary  to  obtain  a  strip  of  wood  about  eight  feet  long  on  which 
to  pin  the  sheet.  If  this  strip  is  tied  to  the  back  of  a  chair  in  an  upright 
position,  it  can  be  moved  about  the  room  and  placed  in  any  position  with¬ 
out  inconvenience.  The  sheets  are  best  to  use  whenever  the  subject  is  one 
who  has  enough  self  control  to  remain  quiet  during  the  burning  of  the 
sheet,  which  takes  about  one  second  ;  but  for  nervous  people  and  little 
children,  it  is  necessary  to  use  the  cartridges  as  these  are  practically 
instantaneous,  and  by  their  use  we  can  catch  the  little  ones  in  their  own 


No.  3. 

Wall  paper ,  rather  light ,  No.  2  Flash  Sheet ,  6  feet  distant.  Face  turned  toward  L.  Light  at  J. 


naturally  graceful  poses,  at  play,  at  work,  resting  or  doing  just  as  they 
please.  It  is  only  necessary  for  us  to  have  a  little  patience  and  focus  and 
arrange  the  light  while  they  are  interested  in  what  they  are  doing.  If 
you  want  to  make  beautiful  pitdures  of  children,  do  not  have  any  pre¬ 
conceived  idea  of  what  you  want  ;  simply  do  not  disturb  them  ;  they  are 
making  the  pictures  continually  and  it  is  only  for  you  to  catch  them  on  your 
film. 

All  flashlight  cartridges  should  be  handled  with  much  care  as  the 
contents  are  explosive  not  only  by  the  application  of  heat  but  sometimes 
from  friaion  or  concussion.  If  handled  with  proper  precaution,  however, 
there  is  very  little  danger.  The  writer  uses  this  kind  of  flash  a  great  deal 


54 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


as  he  is  fond  of  photographing  children,  and  he  has  never  yet  had  an 
accident  of  any  kind. 

He  begs  leave  to  offer  the  following  suggestion  in  regard  to  the  use  of 
the  Eastman  Spreader  Cartridges  in  connection  with  the  Pistol  :  Take  a 
strip  of  wood  about  eight  feet  long  and  fasten  the  pistol  to  the  end  with  a 
couple  of  nails  or  screws.  Then  by  attaching  a  stout  piece  of  pidfure  wire 
to  the  trigger  of  the  pistol  and  letting  it  run  down  the  side  to  the  other 

end  of  the  pole,  you  have  as  handy 
a  flash  machine  as  can  be  made. 
The  advantage  of  this  machine 
over  holding  the  pistol  in  the  hand 
is  that  you  can  now  sit  by  your 
camera  where  you  can  watch  the 
subject  from  the  same  point  of 
view  as  the  lens  and  you  can  put 
the  light  in  any  position  desired 
to  make  the  proper  lighting.  Be 
careful,  however,  not  to  put  it  near 
lace  curtains  or  other  inflammable 
material  as  the  light  spreads  out 
from  the  cartridge  and  might  cause 
damage  if  placed  too  close. 

Besides  a  light,  another  re¬ 
quisite  for  doing  good  flash-light 
work  is  a  plate  or  film  which  is 
rapid,  orthochromatic  and  non¬ 
halation.  Do  not  try  to  make  a 
portrait  with  the  flash  on  any  plate 
not  possessing  every  one  of  these 
qualities,  and  as  these  qualities  are 
all  combined  in  the  N.  C.  Film, 
we  have  here  a  medium  which  is 
ideal  for  this  work.  Of  course, 
these  qualities  are  a  great  advantage  in  all  photographic  work,  but  it  is 
just  such  material  as  the  flash  sheet  and  N.  C.  Film  which  make  flashlight 
work  so  much  better  than  we  have  formerly  seen  of  the  soot  and  whitewash 
order. 

Now  for  the  modus  operandi.  We  will  presume  that  the  work  is  being 
done  in  the  evening.  If  in  the  daytime,  do  not  have  too  much  daylight  in 
the  room.  Close  the  shutters  and  light  the  gas  as  if  it  were  evening. 
When  making  the  exposure  do  not  turn  down  the  gas,  but  leave  it  lighted 


No.  4. 

Surroundings  rather  dark.  No.  2  Flash  Sheet ,  6  feet 
distant.  Stop  No.  8.  Face  turned  toward  B. 
Light  at  F. 


AM  A  TEUR  POR  TRAITURE  B  Y  FLASHLIGHT. 


55 


No.  5. 

Surrounding s  medium  to  dark ,  No.  3  Flash  Sheet ,  7  feet  distant. 
Stop  No.  4.  Face  turned  toward  H.  Light  at  K. 


56 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


No.  6. 

Spreader  Flash  Cartridge ,  6  feet  distant.  Stop  No.  8. 
Face  turned  toward  F.  Light  at  K. 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


57 


and  burning  brightly.  Plenty  of  gaslight  in  the  room  will  do  no  harm  and 
will  prevent  the  eyes  from  having  that  stare  so  often  seen  in  flashlight 
pictures.  The  color  and  size  of  the  room  is  an  important  factor  in  the 
result,  and  I  would  much  prefer  a  medium  size  room  like  the  ordinary 
sitting  room  or  dining  room  and  one  with  light  colored  walls  and  ceilings. 
This  will  give  an  all  around  diffusion  of  the  light  which  will  help  greatly  in 
softening  the  effect. 

The  first  thing  to  be  considered  is  the  size  of  the  flash  sheet  to  be  used 
and  the  placing  of  the  light.  Regarding  the  size  of  the  sheet  we  must  con- 


No.  7. 

Spreader  Flash  Cartridge ,  S  feet  distant.  Stop  No.  16.  Faces  turned  toward  H  and  D.  Light  at  J. 


sider  the  color  of  the  subjefit,  the  color  of  the  room  and  the  distance  of  the 
light  from  the  subjefit.  For  example,  il  our  subject  is  quite  fair,  with  light 
hair  and  white  dress,  and  the  room  is  of  the  color  and  size  before  mentioned, 
a  No.  1  sheet  would  be  sufficient,  placed  at  about  six  feet  distance.  For 
medium  complexion  use  No.  2  sheet,  and  for  very  dark,  a  No.  3,  or  put 
the  No.  2  sheet  a  little  closer.  A  greater  distance  of  the  flash  from  the 
subject  tends  to  make  a  softer  lighting  and  a  lesser  distance  a  bolder  and 
stronger  ;  but  about  six  feet  I  would  consider  an  average  distance.  If  it  is 
desired  to  place  the  light  eight  feet  away,  a  larger  sheet  must  be  used- 
say  a  No.  3  instead  of  a  No.  2,  and  if  it  is  placed  closer  than  six  feet,  a 
smaller  sheet  will  be  better. 


58 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT 


No.  8. 

Spreader  Flash  Cartridge ,  6  feet  distant.  Stop  No.  16. 
Face  turned  toward  H.  Light  at  K. 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


59 


The  light  can  be  placed  anywhere  except  within  immediate  range  of 
the  lens.  Diagram  A,  page  63,  illustrates  where  it  can  be  placed,  but 
where  it  is  to  be  placed  for  each  subject  will  depend  upon  the  wish  of  the 
operator,  taking  into  consideration  the  features  of  the  subject  and  the  style 
of  lighting  desired.  There 
seems  to  be  a  general  idea 
among  amateurs  that  the 
light  should  never  be 
placed  anywhere  except 
behind  the  camera,  as  it 
might  cause  a  reflection 
in  the  lens  ;  but  I  place 
my  light  anywhere,  ex¬ 
cept  in  the  picture,  and 
have  never  had  any 
trouble  from  reflections 
of  this  kind.  Another 
mistake  I  have  noticed 
among  amateurs  is  that 
they  do  not  place  the 
light  high  enough.  If 
the  light  is  six  feet  dis¬ 
tant  from  the  subject,  it 
should  be  about  three  feet 
higher  than  the  head  of 
the  sitter  so  as  to  give 
roundness  and  modeling 
to  the  face.  Of  course, 
this  is  subject  to  excep¬ 
tions,  as  in  the  case  of  a 
subject  with  deep  set  eyes 
and  heavy  eyebrows,  or 
of  a  lady  with  a  large  hat 
where  it  is  not  desired 
that  the  hat  should  throw 
a  shadow  on  the  face.  In 
such  case  the  light  should 
be  accordingly  lower. 

The  illustrations  presented  herewith  give  an  idea  of  the  wide  variety 
of  lightings  that  may  be  made.  Each  of  them  is  lettered  with  direct 
reference  to  Diagram  A,  and  a  careful  study  of  the  pictures  in  connection 
with  the  diagram  is  well  worth  while.  In  making  portraits  by  the  light 


No.  9. 

Spreader  Flash  Cartridge ,  8 feet  distant .  Stop  No.  4.  Soft 
sketchy  effect  secured  by  setting  focus  of  Kodak  at  2l/n  feet. 
Subject  being  seated  j  feet  from  lens.  Face  turned 
toward  H.  Light  at  K 


(5) 


6o 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


No.  10. 

spreader  Flash  Cartridge.  8 feel  distant.  Stop  ATo.  4.  Face  turned 
toward,  L .  Light  at  I. 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


61 


from  a  window,  the  photographer  cannot  control  his  source  of  light  to  any 
extent.  He  may  move  only  his  camera  and  his  sitter — by  the  flashlight 
method  he  has  all  conditions  under  perfect  control — an  especial  advantage 
where  one  wishes  to  photograph  the  subject  with  some  particular  surround¬ 
ings  which  happen  to  be  in  a  part  of  the  room  where  the  window  light  is 
unsatisfactory,  as  in  illustrations  Nos.  2,  3  and  4. 

Important  helps  toward 
making  good  portraits  with  the 
flash  are  a  reflector  and  a  screen. 

It  is  perfectly  evident  that  unless 
some  steps  are  taken  to  equalize 
the  lighting  on  the  two  sides  of 
the  face  the  contrast  will  be  too 
violent  and  the  ‘  ‘  chalk  and  soot 
effects  that  are  so  undesirable  will 
be  likely  to  result.  The  use  of  a 
reflector  to  soften  the  contrast  is 
perfectly  simple.  For  a  bust 
portrait  where  the  subject  is  sitting 
down,  a  white  towel  thrown  over 
the  back  of  a  high  backed  chair 
will  answer  admirably,  the  reflector 
must  not  be  too  low,  however,  as 
the  reflected  light  coming  up  from 
below  will  have  a  tendency  to 
“flatten”  the  shady  side  of  the 
face.  The  reflector  should  also 
be  kept  somewhat  forward  of  the 
sitter.  Another  excellent  method 
of  using  the  reflector,  and  one  that 
is  really  necessary  with  standing 

figures  in  order  to  get  it  high  spreader  Flash  Cartridge ,  6  feet  distant.  Stop  No. 
enough,  is  to  pin  a  small  sheet  or  16.  Face  turned  toward  camera.  Light  at  J. 

any  light  colored  material  over  a 

drawing  string  of  tape,  that  can  be  fastened  across  any  part  of  the  room 
with  a  couple  of  thumb  tacks  or  Kodak  Push  Pins,  so  that  it  will  occupy  the 
desired  position.  « 

The  screen  (or  perhaps  it  should  be  called  the  light  “  filter”)  can  be 
similarly  arranged  on  another  tape.  This  filter  should  be  of  cheesecloth,  as 
nearly  white  as  you  can  get  it,  and  should  be  at  least  a  yard  square. 
Another  method  of  using  the  filter  is  to  tack  it  on  a  frame  about  a  yard 
square  and  hold  it  in  the  left  hand  while  the  flash  is  lighted  with  the  right 


No.  n. 


62 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


No.  12. 

Spreader  Flash  Cartridge,  6  feet  distant.  Stop  No.  8.  Lady' s  face  turned  toward  C.  Child's 
face  turned  toward  F.  Light  at  B. 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


63 


— this  latter  method  can  hardly 
be  used,  however,  where  the  8 
foot  stick  suggested  in  the  fore¬ 
going  pages  is  employed  as  a 
flash  machine. 

Diagram  B  shows  one  of 
the  very  many  ways  in  which 
the  tape  method  may  be  em¬ 
ployed  for  fastening  screen  and 
reflector.  Many  houses  have 
folding  doors  between  the 
rooms,  with  portieres  which 
may  be  used  as  a  back-ground, 
attaching  one  end  of  the  re¬ 
flector  and  screen  strings  to 
each  end  of  the  curtain  pole,  while  the  other  ends  are  tied  to  the  chandelier 
which  is  generally  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  Of  course  every  room  has 
a  number  of  window  and  door  casings  in  the  side  of  which  a  pin  or  tack 
may  be  driven  without  harm,  and  these  offer  every  opportunity  for  making 
a  variation  of  the  arrangement  shown  in  Diagram  B,  thereby  obtaining  the 
precise  lighting  that  may  be  desired. 

Everything  is  now  ready  for  the  exposure.  For  a  beginning,  suppose 
we  have  the  subjedt  sit  with  his  body  facing  “F”  (Diagram  A)  and 
his  face  turned  toward  the  camera.  The  light  we  will  place  at  “  K  ”  about 
six  feet  distant  and  three  feet  higher  than  the  head.  This  will  make  a  light¬ 
ing  like  illustration  No.  6.  If  you  are  using  a  flash  sheet  it  is  well  to  use  a 
candle,  or,  better  still,  one  of  those  gas  lighters  having  a  wax  taper  in  the 
end  of  a  holder.  Now,  open  the  shutter  and  quietly  light  the  sheet  ;  as 
soon  as  the  sheet  is  burned,  close  the  shutter.  There  need  be  no  hurry 
whatever,  as  the  gas  light  is  too  yellow  to  make  an  impression  on  the  plate 

in  this  short  space  of  time 
even  if  a  minute  or  two 
should  elapse  between  the 
opening  and  closing  of  shut¬ 
ter,  especially  if  the  lens  is 
stopped  down  to  No.  8  or 
No.  16,  which  are  about  the 
openings  for  general  use. 

Development  of  flashlight 
exposures  is  exactly  the  same 
as  daylight.  If  you  think 
your  exposure  has  been  a 


a  _ 

V 


B  / 


C, 


D^» 


BACKCR.OUXD 


o 

•SITTER 


* 


sK 


\ 


FA... 


Q 

Camera 
"cr . Ttf 

Diagram  A. 


/ 

Xj 


Diagram  B. 


64 


AMATEUR  PORTRAITURE  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


little  below  the  normal,  dilute  the  developer  considerably,  giving  the 
shadows  time  to  come  up  before  the  high  lights  get  too  dense  ;  or  if  the 
light  has  been  on  the  side  of  over-exposure,  add  a  few  drops  of  ten  per 
cent,  solution  of  Bromide  of  Potassium  to  hold  back  the  shadows  and  give 
the  negative  the  desired  contrast.  When  using  the  Kodak  Tank  Developer, 
develop  for  ten  or  twenty  minutes  according  to  directions  in  manual,  if 
specially  soft  effects  are  desired  reduce  the  time  for  development  to  six  or 
twelve  minutes.  If  the  Kodak  Machine  or  Brownie  Developing  Box  is 
used,  develop  for  six  minutes  in  the  solution  at  a  temperature  of  65 
degrees. 

The  following  summary  of  conditions  necessary  for  making  good  por¬ 
traits  may  be  found  useful  for  the  serious  worker,  as  each  one  of  these  con¬ 
ditions  must  be  given  its  proper  consideration  to  make  a  successful  result. 

1.  GOOD  LIGHTING. 

a.  Position  of  the  light.  c.  Distance  of  light  from  subject. 

1 b.  Diffusion  of  light  by  screen.  d.  Placing  of  reflector. 

2.  CORRECT  EXPOSURE. 

a.  Size  of  flash.  c.  Color  of  subject. 

b.  Color  and  size  of  room.  d.  Distance  of  light  from  subject. 

3.  PROPER  DEVELOPMENT. 

a.  A  good  developing  formula.  b.  Dilution  of  developer. 

c.  Length  of  time  of  development. 

Note.  The  pictures  illustrating  this  article  were  made  on  N.  C.  Film  with  a  Kodak.  Nos.  I  to  5 
inclusive,  were  made  with  Eastman’s  Flash  Sheets  and  Nos.  6  to  12  with  Eastman’s  Spreader  Flash 
Cartridges. 


Interiors  by  Flashlight. 


The  foregoing'  article  by  Mr.  Ritch  thoroughly  covers  the  ground  of 
Flashlight  Portraiture  but  we  wish  to  follow  it  up  with  a  few  remarks  upon 
flashlight  work  in  a  general  way.  Aside  from  the  making  of  portraits 
there  are  many  uses  for  the  flash. 

Frequently  it  is  desired  to  take  a  photograph  of  an  interior  which,  by 
reason  of  a  lack  of  illumination,  or  because  some  window,  which  cannot  be 
covered,  comes  within  range  of  the  camera,  is  impracticable  by  daylight. 
In  such  cases  a  flash  light  solves  the  problem.  Again,  it  is  desired  to  photo¬ 
graph  a  very  large  room  which  is  lighted  from  only  one  side  by  daylight. 
To  get  a  full  time  exposure  in  the  darkest  corner  of  the  room  would  cause 
a  decided  over-exposure  near  the  windows.  A  flash  light,  concealed  from 
diredl  line  with  the  lens  by  some  article  of  furniture  or  by  a  screen,  illumi¬ 
nates  the  dark  corner  and  gives  a  properly  lighted  exposure  of  the  entire 
room. 

These  are  the  ordinary  uses  of  the  flash  light,  and  by  following  the 
simple  rules  laid  down,  the  amateur  can  make  pictures  with  as  great  an 
assurance  of  success  as  when  making  snap-shots  out  of  doors.  For  the 
production  of  unusual  effeCts,  however,  one  must  study  all  the  conditions, 
weighing  carefully  cause  and  efteCt,  and  must  not  yield  to  disappointment  if 
success  be  not  obtained  at  first. 

There  are  many  ways  in  which  the  flash  may  be  made  to  co-operate 
with  other  artificial  light,  or  with  daylight,  to  produce  a  unique  or  artistic 
effect,  and  to  the  serious  worker  it  offers  another  means  to  the  end  most 
desired  by  all  photographic  workers,  pictorial  effect. 

FLASH  SHEETS. 

The  Eastman  Flash  Sheets  provide  a  simple  and  effective  method  of 
producing  the  flash.  Being  of  great  adinic  power  they  impress  the  image 
upon  the  sensitive  surface  of  film  or  plate  quickly,  although  the  flash  is  less 
blinding  than  that  of  ordinary  powders. 

The  faCt  that  flash  sheets  burn  slowly  as  compared  with  flash  powder 
makes  them  far  safer  to  use— the  danger  from  explosion  by  careless  hand¬ 
ling  being  reduced  to  a  minimum. 


66 


INTERIORS  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  USING  FLASH  SHEETS. 

Pin  a  flash  sheet  by  one  corner  to  a  piece  of  cardboard  which  has  pre¬ 
viously  been  fixed  in  a  perpendicular  position.  If  the  cardboard  is  white  it 
will  adl  as  a  refledtor  and  increase  the  strength  of  the  pidture.  All  being  in 
readiness,  open  the  camera  shutter,  stand  at  arm’s  length  and  touch  a  match 
to  the  lower  corner  of  the  flash  sheet. 

Close  the  camera  shutter. 

\\  hen  two  or  more  sheets  are  to  be  used  they  should  be  pinned  to  the 
cardboard,  one  above  the  other,  the  corners  slightly  overlapping. 

As  a  matter  of  precaution,  place  a  piece  of  cardboard  beneath  as  well 
as  one  behind  the  flash  sheet,  so  that  in  case  a  spark  should  fall  it  will  do 
no  injury. 


ARRANGEMENT  OF  THE  LIGHT. 

The  light  should  be  placed  two  feet  behind  and  two  to  three  feet  to  one 
side  of  the  camera.  If  placed  in  front  of,  or  on  a  line  with  the  front  of 
camera,  the  flash  would  strike  the  lens  and  blur  the  picture.  It  should  be 
placed  at  one  side  as  well  as  behind,  so  as  to  throw  a  shadow  and  give  a 
little  relief  in  lighting.  The  flash  should  be  at  the  same  height  or  a  little 
higher  than  the  camera. 

TAKING  THE  PICTURE. 

Having  the  camera  and  flash  sheets  in  position,  set  the  camera  shutter 
open,  as  for  a  time  exposure,  but  using  the  stop  ordinarily  used  for  snap¬ 
shots. 

Touch  a  match  to  the  lower  corner  of  the  flash  sheet.  A  bright  flash 
will  follow,  which  will  impress  the  pi&ure  on  the  sensitive  film.  The  shut¬ 
ter  should  be  closed  quickly  after  the  flash.  Otherwise,  unless  the  room  is 
in  total  darkness,  objects  or  lights  would  begin  to  impress  themselves  on  the 
film  even  without  the  flash. 

vSTRENGTH  OF  THE  FLASH. 

The  numbei  of  flash  sheets  required  to  light  a  room  varies  with  the 
distance  of  the  objecl  farthest  from  the  camera,  and  the  color  of  the  walls 
and  hangings.  The  larger  the  room,  of  course  the  greater  will  be  the 
strength  of  the  flash  required  to  cover  it.  With  the  flash  sheets,  the 
strength  of  light  can  easily  be  controlled.  Simply  use  as  many  of  the 
sheets,  pinned  together  in  the  manner  above  described,  as  are  necessary. 
The  following  table  will  be  found  useful  : 


INTERIORS  BY  FLASHLIGHT. 


67 


TABLE. 

For  10  feet  distance  and  light  walls  and  hangings  use  1  Sheet. 

“  10  “  “  “  dark  “  “  “  “  2  Sheets. 

“  15  “  “  “  light  “  “  “  “  2 

“  15  “  “  “  dark  “  “  “  “  3  “ 

“  25  “  “  “  light  “  “  “  “  3 

“  25  “  “  “  dark  “  “  “  “  4 

The  above  table  is  for  No.  1  Sheets.  A  smaller  number  of  the  larger  sheets  may  be  used  if  preferred. 


GROUPS. 

Arrange  the  chairs  in  the  form  of  a  semi-circle,  facing  the  camera,  so 
that  each  chair  will  be  exactly  the  same  distance  from  the  camera.  Half  the 
persons  composing  the  group  should  be  seated  and  the  rest  should  stand 
behind  the  chairs.  In  case  any  of  the  subjeds  are  seated  on  the  floor  the 
limbs  should  be  drawn  up  close  to  the  body,  not  extended  towards  the 
camera.  If  this  is  not  done  the  feet  will  appear  abnormally  large  in  the 
picture. 

It  is  better  to  leave  the  room  lighted  in  the  regular  way  while  mak¬ 
ing  the  flash.  Arrange  the  persons  composing  the  group  so  that  no  one’s 
face  will  be  shadowed  by  another’s  body  or  head.  This  can  be  done  readily 
by  looking  at  the  group  from  where  the  flash  is  to  be  fired. 

Have  the  flash  light  high  enough  so  that  shadows  of  heads  against  the 
background  will  not  be  thrown  up  higher  than  the  head. 

TAKING  LARGE  GROUPS. 

In  taking  large  groups  it  is  necessary  to  have  the  camera  a  considerable 
distance  away.  In  such  a  case,  to  light  the  group  sufficiently  with  the 
flash  behind  the  camera,  it  would  be  necessary  to  burn  a  number  of  sheets. 

This  may  be  obviated  in  cases  where  the  camera  can  be  placed  in  an 
adjoining  room,  where  there  are  double  parlors,  for  instance.  Then  set  off 
the  flash  in  the  room  where  the  group  is,  it  being  shielded  from  the  lens  by 
the  projecting  partition.  This  gets  the  light  close  to  the  subject.  In  this 
way  one  sheet  will  answer  where  three  or  four  might  have  to  be  used  other¬ 
wise. 


BACKGROUND. 

In  making  single  portraits  or  groups,  care  should  be  taken  to  have  a 
suitable  background  against  which  the  figures  will  show  in  relief.  A  light 
background  is  better  than  a  dark  one,  and  often  a  single  figure  or  two  will 


68 


INTERIORS  B  V  FLASHLIGHT. 


show  up  well  against  a  lace  curtain.  For  larger  groups  a  medium  light  wall 
will  be  suitable. 

The  finder  on  the  camera  will  help  the  operator  to  compose  the  group 
so  as  to  get  the  best  effed.  In  order  to  make  the  image  visible  in  the 
finder,  the  room  must  be  well  lighted  with  ordinary  lamplight,  which  may 
be  left  on  while  the  picture  is  being  made,  provided  none  of  the  lights  are 
so  placed  that  they  show  in  the  finder. 

IN  GENERAL. 

In  portrait  work  it  is  always  best  to  have  the  room  well  lighted  when 
making  the  flash,  if  it  can  be  done  in  such  a  way  that  none  of  the  lights 
come  within  the  range  of  the  lens.  If  the  room  is  darkened  the  sudden 
flash  of  the  light  so  strains  the  eyes  of  the  sitters  that  it  almost  invariably 
gives  them  a  staring  look,  whereas  if  the  room  is  already  well  illuminated 
by  gas  or  lamp-light  the  strain  is  not  great  and  the  eyes  will  have  a  natural 
expression.  Of  course  when  the  room  is  brightly  lighted  the  shutter  should 
not  be  opened  until  the  instant  before  the  flash  is  made,  and  should  be 
closed  quickly  after  the  flash  is  over. 

In  making  portraits  by  flash  light,  the  camera  should  not  be  held  in 
the  hand,  but  should  be  supported  as  described  on  page  19.  Before  setting 
off  the  flash  see  that  no  articles  of  furniture  in  range  of  the  lens  are  closer 
to  the  camera  than  the  persons  to  be  photographed.  The  nearer  an  objed 
is  to  the  lens,  of  course,  the  larger  the  picture.  A  chair  placed  too  near 
the  camera  might  appear  in  the  picture  bigger  than  everything  else  visible. 

Flash  light  work  is  usually  regarded  as  of  minor  importance  compared 
with  daytime  photography,  which  may  be  explained  by  the  fad  that  most 
people  have  not  made  themselves  familiar  with  it.  As  a  matter  of  fad  it 
well  repays  considerable  time  and  study,  in  view  of  the  results  that  are 
possible.  Some  photographers  now  are  using  the  flash  light  extensively  in 
their  regular  portrait  work. 

When  more  than  one  flash  light  is  to  be  taken,  the  windows  should  be 
opened  and  time  allowed  between  each  flash  to  free  the  room  thoroughly  from 
smoke,  otherwise  all  of  the  pidures  after  the  first  one  are  liable  to  have  a 
“foggy”  effed.  The  Eastman  Flash  Sheets  give  a  minimum  of  smoke, 
but  the  lens  is  even  keener  than  the  eye,  and  what  will  seem  to  be  but  little 
smoke  in  a  room  will  oftentimes  have  a  decided  effed  upon  the  pidure. 

When,  for  any  reason,  it  is  necessary  that  the  shutter  remain  closed 
until  the  instant  the  flash  is  discharged  and  be  closed  again  instantly  after¬ 
ward,  it  is  well  to  have  the  flash  sheet  hanging  near  so  that  the  shutter  can 
be  operated  with  one  hand  and  the  flash  with  the  other  and  their  action  thus 
made  simultaneous. 


PORTRAITURE  HELPS. 


69 


NOT  INSTANTANEOUS. 

In  using  the  flash  sheets  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  they  are  not 
instantaneous,  and  in  portrait  work  the  subjects  should,  therefore,  be 
warned  to  remain  still  as  if  for  a  time  exposure. 

The  flash  sheets  do  not  produce  a  sudden  flash  when  they  are  lighted, 
and  a  second  or  so  is  consumed  in  burning  a  single  sheet.  As  compared 
with  the  ordinary  flash  powder  they  give  a  much  broader  source  of  light, 
which  means  that  they  do  away  with  the  harsh  shadows  that  are  so 
objedlionable  in  most  flashlight  work.  The  flash  from  the  sheets  is  far  less 
blinding  than  that  from  the  ordinary  powder,  a  decided  advantage  in 
giving  pidtures  without  the  staring  effect  to  the  eyes  so  often  seen. 


THE  REFLECTOR. 


In  the  various  articles  upon 
Portraiture  is  explained  the  use 
of  the  refledlor.  In  practice  it  is 
often  inconvenient  or  undesirable 
to  secure  an  assistant  for  the  pur¬ 
pose  of  holding  the  cloth  to  be 
used  as  a  refledlor.  Fig.  1  shows 
a  refledtor  which  may  easily  be 
construdted  and  which  will  be 
found  very  convenient  in  use. 

Provide  two  pieces  of  wood  about 
one  inch  wide  by  one-half  an  inch 
thick,  one  piece  being  about  two 
feet  and  the  other  two  feet  six 
inches  long.  In  one  end  of  the 
longer  piece  insert  a  screw  eye 
having  a  head  about  one  half  an 
inch  in  diameter.  Cut  an  open¬ 
ing  in  the  center  of  the  second 
strip  so  that  the  head  of  the 
screw  eye  will  fit  it  snugly.  A  small  flat  hook  fastened  to  the  strip  com¬ 
pletes  the  joint.  Procure  a  piece  of  white  cotton  cloth  about  two  feet 


The  Reflector. 


7o 


PORTRAITURE  HELPS. 


square  and  fasten  it  to  the  edge  of  the  short  strip  with  small  tacks.  A  large 
elastic  rubber  band  completes  the  apparatus. 

For  use  fasten  the  two  strips  together  by  the  joint  and  fasten  the  screen 
by  the  aid  of  the  rubber  band  to  the  back  of  an  ordinary  chair.  The  cloth 
will  then  hang  straight  down  and  by  moving  the  chair  about  and  changing 
the  height  of  the  screen  by  sliding  the  upright  piece  up  or  down  the 
refledior  may  readily  be  placed  in  an^  desired  position. 


PORTRAITURE  HELPS. 


7l 


KODAK  PORTRAIT  ATTACHMENTS. 


In  order  to  give  greater 
scope  to  the  fixed  focus  Kodaks 
so  that  large  bust  portraits  may 
be  made  with  them  we  have 
devised  our  Portrait  Attach¬ 
ment.  This  is  a  simple  little 
device  consisting  of  an  extra 
lens  so  mounted  that  it  may  be 
instantly  attached  in  front  of  the 
regular  lens,  and  enabling  the 
Kodaker  to  make  sharp  pictures 
with  the  fixed  focus  Kodaks  at  a 
distance  of  only  three  and  one- 
half  feet  from  the  subjedt. 

With  the  3*^  x  3j4  size  this 
gives  a  head  about  the  size  that 
heads  are  usually  made  to  occu¬ 
py  in  an  ordinary  mantello  pho¬ 
tograph.  The  accompanying 
half-tone  illustration  is  repro¬ 
duced  in  the  exact  size,  from  a 
negative  made  with  a  Folding 
Pocket  Kodak  and  Kodak  Por¬ 
trait  Attachment. 

This  Portrait  Attachment  is  for  use  at  a  distance  of  3^  feet  from  the 
subjedt  only  with  the  fixed  focus  Kodaks,  and  its  effedt  is  to  simply  make 
the  lens  “  cut  sharp  ”  pidiures  at  this  distance.  It  is  to  be  used  for  bust 
portraiture  only. 

Portrait  Attachments  are  also  made  for  the  larger  Kodaks  which  are 
fitted  with  focusing  scale.  With  these  instruments  different  sized  heads  or 
busts  may  be  obtained  by  altering  the  focus  and  distance  from  the  subjedi. 


BY  RUDOLPH  EICKEMEYER,  JR. 

Folding  Pocket  Kodak  and  Portrait 
Attachment. 


Development. 


Film  photography  offers  two  methods  of  development.  They  are  : 

The  Kodak  Tank  Developer  Method. 

The  Dark  Room  Method. 

The  tank  method  is  comparatively  new  yet  it  has  now  proven  its  effi¬ 
ciency  and  has  fully  demonstrated  that  it  is  not  only  more  convenient  than 
the  old  method  but  gives  a  larger  percentage  of  perfect  negatives. 

When,  in  the  summer  of  1902,  the  Kodak  Developing  Machine  was 
first  placed  upon  the  market  it  was  freely  criticised,  but  after  it  had  been  a 
few  months  in  operation  its  marked  success  became  apparent  and  the  photo¬ 
graphic  writers  began  to  discover  that  it  was  correct  in  theory  as  well  as 
in  practice.  The  Kodak  Tank  Developer  works  upon  a  similar  principle 
so  far  as  the  winding  up  of  the  film  inside  a  light  proof  flexible  apron  is  con¬ 
cerned,  but  in  the  machine  the  film  is  kept  constantly  in  motion  during 
development,  while  in  the  tank  it  is  simply  reversed  a  couple  of  times  to 
prevent  streaks. 

With  the  Kodak  Tank  method  the  dark-room  is  entirely  eliminated. 

The  Dark  Room  method  of  film  development  is  simple.  So  far  as  the 
operations  go  it  is  as  successful  with  film  as  with  plates,  especially  since  the 
advent  of  the  Eastman  Non-Curling  film,  yet  aside  from  the  mere  question 
of  convenience  the  Tank  method  is  preferable  because,  as  has  been  proven, 
better  results  can  be  obtained  by  developing  for  a  fixed  time,  in  a  fixed 
developer,  than  can  be  obtained  under  the  old  system  of  watching  for  the 
proper  contrast  and  detail  under  the  rays  of  the  deceitful  dark-room  lamp. 

The  first  question  regarding  tank  development  which  will  come  to  the 
mind  of  the  skeptical  photographer  will  assuredly  be  ;  “When  there  are 
several  unequal  exposures  on  the  same  strip  of  film,  how  are  all  to  be  cor¬ 
rectly  developed,  there  being  no  opportunity  for  individual  treatment?” 
The  manufacturers,  before  experimenting,  felt  that  the  tank  might  fail 
under  these  conditions,  but  the  practical  results  show  that  within  any  reason¬ 
able  limits  it  does  not.  The  remarkable  “latitude”  which  Kodak  film 
allows  in  exposure,  combined  with  the  peculiarly  active  properties  of  the 


DE  VEL  OPMENT. 


73 


Kodak  developer  powders  and  the  entire  absence  of  fog  (ordinarily  caused 
by  the  dark-room  lamp)  upset  all  theories. 

If  the  film  is  properly  exposed  the  tank  will  develop  it  properly.  If  it 
is  not  properly  exposed  it  will  never  make  a  good  negative,  no  matter  how 
much  it  be  manipulated. 

Time  and  temperature  are  the  two  factors  of  importance  that  must  be 
taken  into  consideration.  With  the  temperature  of  the  developer  at  a 
specified  point,  development  is  to  be  continued  for  a  certain  length  of  time. 
When  the  developer  is  warm  (it  must  never  be  above  70  degrees  Fahr. ) 
it  acts  rapidly  ;  if  very  cold  it  acts  slowly.  It  can  be  readily  understood, 
therefore,  that  the  operator  must  always  have  a  knowledge  of  the  temper¬ 
ature  of  his  developer,  and  time  development  accordingly,  if  he  expects  to 
obtain  the  best  results. 

As  improvements  calling  for  slight  changes  in  the  methods  of  manipu¬ 
lation  are  frequently  made  in  all  Kodak  apparatus,  the  operator  of  a  Kodak 
Tank  Developer  should  read  carefully  the  manual  accompanying  the  par¬ 
ticular  tank  that  he  purchases. 


WITH  THE  KODAK  TANK  DEVELOPER. 

The  Kodak  Tank  Developer  consists  of  a  wooden  box,  a  light-proof 
apron,  a  “  transferring  reel  ”  and  a  metal  “  solution  cup  ”  in  which  the  film 
is  developed,  and  a  hooked  rod  for  removing  film  from  solution.  There  is 
also  a  dummy  film  cartridge  with  which  one  should  experiment  before  using 
an  exposed  cartridge.  The  various  parts  of  the  outfit  come  packed  in 
the  box  itself. 


SETTING  UP  THE  TANK  DEVELOPER. 


Take  everything  out  of  the  box. 
Take  red  apron  and  transferring  reel 
out  of  solution  cup. 

Insert  the  axles  marked  C  and  D 
in  the  cut,  in  the  holes  in  the  front  of 
box.  The  front  will  be  toward  you 
when  the  spool  carrier  in  end  of  box  is 
at  your  right. 

The  axle  “D”  must  be  pushed 
through  the  hollow  rod  of  the  transferring  reel,  and  axle  “  C  ”  through 


74 


DE  VEL  O  PATENT. 


the  smaller  apron  carrier 
to  hold  same  in  position. 

The  flanges  at  each  end  of 
the  Transferring  Reel  are  marked 
“  Y  ”  in  the  illustration. 

Attach  one  end  of 
the  apron  to  “C”  by 
means  of  the  metal 
hooks  which  are  to  be 
engaged  with  the  lugs  on 
the  axle  (Fig.  2).  The 
corrugated  side  of  the 
rubber  bands  are  to  be 
beneath  the  apron  when  it 
is  attached.  Turn  to  left 
on  axle  “C”  and  wind 
entire  apron  onto  axle, 
maintaining  a  slight  ten¬ 


sion  on  apron  in  so  doing  fig.  2. 

by  resting  one  hand  on  it. 

Insert  film  cartridge  in  spool  carrier  (Fig.  3),  close  up  the 

movable  arm  tight  against  end  of 
spool.  Ffave  the  black  paper  (  “B” 
in  Fig.  1 )  lead  from  the  top. 


Fig.  3. 


IMPORTANT. 

Film  to  be  used  in  the  Kodak  Tank  Devel¬ 
oper  must  be  fastened  to  the  black  paper  at  both 
ends.  Just  bej'ore you  are  ready  to  develop  (hold¬ 
ing  spool  with  the  imprinted  side  of  the  black  paper 
up)  unroll  the  black  paper  carefully  until  you 
uncover  the  piece  of  gummed  paper  which  is  fas¬ 
tened  to  end  of  film  and  is  to  he  used  as  a  means  of 
fastening  film  to  black  paper.  Moisten  the  gum¬ 
med  side  of  sticker  evenly  for  about  an  inch  across 
the  end  and  stick  it  down  to  black  paper,  rubbing 
thoroughly  to  secure  perfect  adhesion.  Wind  end 
of  black  paper  on  spool  again  and  the  cartridge  is 
ready  to  insert  in  transfer  box. 

Break  the  sticker  that  holds 
down  the  end  of  black  paper, 
thread  the  paper  underneath  wire 
guard  on  axle  “D”  (Fig.  4) 
and  turn  slowly  to  right  until  the 
word  “stop”  appears  on  black 
paper. 

Now  hook  apron  to  lugs  on 


DE  VEL  OPMENT. 


75 


axle  “D”  in  precisely  the  same  manner  that  you  hooked  the 
opposite  end  to  axle  “C”  except  that  axle  “D”  turns  to  the  right 
(Fig-  5)- 

Turn  handle  half  a  revolution,  so  that  apron  becomes  firmly  attached, 


Fig.  4. 


and  put  on  cover  of  box.  Turn  axle  “D”  slowly  and  steadily  until 
black  paper  of  cartridge,  film  and  apron  are  rolled  up  together  on 

axle  “D”.  As  soon  as  this 
is  completed  the  handle  will  turn 
very  freely. 

The  developer  should  now 
be  prepared  and  placed  in  the 
solution  cup.  (See  page  76. ) 

Now  remove  cover  from 
box  and  draw  out  axle  “D” 
(  Fig.  6  ),  holding  apron  and 
black  paper  with  other  hand 
to  keep  end  of  apron  from 
loosening. 

Remove  entire  transferring 
reel  (which  now  contains  apron 


(6) 


76 


DE  VELOPMENT. 


and  black  paper)  which  is  freed  by  pulling  out  axle  “  D  ” ,  and  insert 
immediately  in  the  previously  prepared  developer. 


Fig.  t>. 


USING  THE  SOLUTION  CUP. 

Having  filled  the  solution  cup  as  directed,  lower  Transferring  Reel  into 
cup,  either  end  first  (Fig.  7).  Let  reel  slide  down  slowly.  The  operation 
of  removing  reel  from  box  can  be  done  in  the  light  of  an  ordinary  room,  but, 
of  course,  for  safety  it  is  well  that  the  light  should  not  be  too  bright.  The 
total  length  of  time  for  development  is  twenty  min¬ 
utes.  Allow  development  to  proceed  for  about 
two  minutes  with  cover  of  solution  cup  off  ;  then 
place  the  cover  on  the  cup  (Fig.  8),  putting  lugs 
on  cover  into  grooves  and  tighten  cover  down  by 
turning  it  to  right. 

Now  turn  the  entire  cup  end  for  end  and  place  in  a  tray 
or  saucer  to  catch  any  slight  leak  from 
the  cup.  After  seven  minutes  reverse 
it  so  cover  will  be  up.  At  fifteen  min¬ 
utes  again  invert  the  cup.  Turning  the 
solution  cup  allows  the  developer  to  act 
evenly  and  adds  brilliancy  and  snap  to  fig.  7. 

_ 3SS  the  negatives. 

The  wire  lifting  rod  is  to  be  used  for  lifting  the  reel  out 
;1  of  the  cup.  Hook  on  to  the  cross  bar  in  one  end  of  reel. 

When  the  end  of  reel  containing  cross  bar  is  at  the  bottom 
Fig.  8.  of  cup,  the  lifting  rod  is  just  long  enough  to  catch  the  cross  bar. 


DE  VEL  OPM ENT. 


77 


The  fixing  solution  should  be  prepared  while  the  film  is  developing. 

When  development  is  completed  pour  out  developer  and  fill 
cup  with  clear  cold  water  and  pour  off,  repeating  this  operation  three 
times  to  wash  the  film.  Then  remove  reel,  separate  film  from  black  paper 
and  place  immediately  in  the  previously  prepared  Fixing  Bath. 

The  film  may  be  separated  from  black  paper  in  light  of  an  ordinary 
room,  if  the  developer  is  thoroughly  washed  out. 

The  operation  of  separating  film  and  black  paper  should  be  done  over 
a  bowl  or  bath  tub  or  sink. 

When  the  black  paper  does  not  free  itself  readily  from  back  of  film, 
split  the  paper  where  possible  ;  this  will  remove  the  hard  outer  surface  of 
the  paper,  the  remaining  portion  will  soon  become  soaked  and  can  then 
be  removed  easily  by  rubbing  gently,  while  immersed,  with  the  ball  of  the 
finger.  This  adhering  of  the  black  paper  to  the  film  is  almost  invariably 
caused  by  the  use  of  a  too  warm  developer. 

The  operations  of  fixing,  washing  and  drying  are  precisely  the  same  as 
with  dark  room  developed  negatives.  See  pages  79  and  80. 

PREPARING  THE  DEVELOPING  SOLUTION  WITH 
KODAK  TANK  DEVELOPER  POWDERS. 

Pour  three  or  four  ounces  of  lukewarm  water  into  the  Solution  Cup. 
Open  the  package  of  powder  and  pour  in  the  Sodas  (contained  in  the 
larger  package).  Stir  until  dissolved.  Now  fill  cup  to  ring  with  cold 
water.  Empty  the  contents  of  second  package  (Pyro)  into  the  solution. 
Stir  for  a  few  seconds  or  until  dissolved.  Developer  must  always  be  pre¬ 
pared  fresh  for  immediate  use.  Temperature  6o°  to  65°  Fahr. 

SHORT  DEVELOPMENT. 

The  length  of  development  may  be  cut  to  ten  minutes  by  the  use  of 
two  powders.  Of  course  in  such  case  the  operator  will  dissolve  the  sodas 
of  both  powders  in  the  lukewarm  water  and  will  then  fill  the  cup  to  ring 
with  cold  water  and  dissolve  the  two  papers  of  pyro. 

For  ten-minute  development  the  film  should  be  reversed  at  the  end 
of  one  minute  and  at  the  end  of  seven  minutes. 

FORMULAE. 

On  account  of  their  purity  and  the  accuracy  with  which  they  are  pre¬ 
pared,  the  Kodak  Tank  Developer  Powders  are  recommended,  but  the 
operator  may  use  the  following  if  desired. 


78 


DE  VEL  OPMENT. 


In  case  you  make  up  your  own  solutions,  use  the  following  formulas 
for  20  minute  Tank  Development  : 

BROWNIE  TANK. 

io  grains  Pyro. 

30  grains  Sulphite  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

20  grains  Carbonate  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

Dissolve  the  chemicals  in  order  named  in  five  or  six  ounces  of  lukewarm  water,  then  add  cold 
water  to  fill  tank  to  embossed  ring. 

THREE  AND  ONE-HALF  INCH  TANK. 

22  grains  Pyro. 

66  grains  Sulphite  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

44  grains  Carbonate  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

Dissolve  the  chemicals  in  order  named  in  five  or  six  ounces  of  lukewarm  water,  then  add  cold 
water  to  fill  tank  to  embossed  ring. 

FIVE  AND  SEVEN  INCH  TANK. 

30  grains  Pyro. 

90  grains  Sulphite  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

60  grains  Carbonate  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

Dissolve  the  chemicals  in  order  named  in  five  or  six  ounces  of  lukewarm  water,  then  add  cold 
water  to  fill  tank  to  embossed  ring. 

Use  the  following  formulae  for  Ten  Minute  Tank  Development. 

BROWNIE  TANK. 

20  grains  Pyro. 

60  grains  Sulphite  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

40  grains  Carbonate  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

Dissolve  the  chemicals  in  order  named  in  five  or  six  ounces  of  lukewarm  water,  then  add  cold 
water  to  fill  tank  to  embossed  ring. 

THREE  AND  ONE-HALF  INCH  TANK. 

44  grains  Pyro. 

132  grains  Sulphite  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

88  grains  Carbonate  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

Dissolve  the  chemicals  in  order  named  in  five  or  six  ounces  of  lukewarm  water,  then  add  cold 
water  to  fill  tank  to  embossed  ring. 

FIVE  AND  SEVEN  INCH  TANK. 

60  grains  Pyro. 

180  grains  Sulphite  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

120  grains  Carbonate  of  Soda,  anhydrous. 

Dissolve  the  chemicals  in  order  named  in  five  or  six  ounces  of  lukewarm  water,  then  add  cold 
water  to  fill  tank  to  embossed  ring. 

Temperature  of  Developer,  65°  Fahr. 

DEVELOPING  SEVERAL  ROLLS  OF  FILM  AT  ONCE. 

Several  rolls  of  film  may  be  developed  at  the  same  time  if  the  operator 
wishes.  To  do  this  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  “Duplicating  Outfit” 


con- 


DE  VEL  O  PATENT. 


79 


sisting  of  one  Solution  Cup,  one  Transferring  Reel  and  one  Apron  for  each 
additional  roll  of  film  to  be  developed.  The  extra  rolls  of  film  may  then  be 
wound  onto  Transferring  Reels  as  previously  described  and  immersed  in 
the  Solution  Cup. 

If  another  roll  of  film  is  to  be  developed,  wipe  the  apron  thoroughly. 

If  the  Tank  Developer  is  not  to  be  used  again  immediately  the  apron 
and  tank  should  be  washed  and  wiped  dry.  The  apron  will  dry  very 
rapidly  if  immersed  for  a  moment  in  very  hot  water. 

Keep  apron  wound  on  Transferring  Reel  when  not  in  use.  Never 
leave  apron  soaking  in  water. 

FIXING  BATH. 

Use  the  Kodak  Acid  Fixing  Bath  or  prepare  an  acid  fixing  bath  in 
accordance  with  formula  given  below. 

Have  plenty  of  fixing  solution  in  a  deep  tray  or  earthen  dish,  so  as  to 
fully  cover  film,  using  four  ounces  of  Fixing  Powder  to  each  pint  of  water. 
Fix  for  two  or  three  minutes  after  all  of  the  “  milky  ”  look  has  disappeared 
from  negatives. 

If  you  use  plain  Hypo  with  N.  C.  Film,  follow  fixing  by  soaking  for  five  minutes  in  a  saturated 
solution  of  common  alum  to  remove  stains.  If  Kodak  Acid  Fixing  Powder  is  used  this  is  unnecessary. 
Wash  and  dry  as  per  directions  on  page  80. 

Nothing  now  remains  to  be  done  except  to  wash  the  film,  to  free  it 
from  Hypo  (fixing  solution);  wipe  it  with  a  soft  cloth  and  pin  it  up  to 
dry.  As  soon  as  dry  the  negatives  are  cut  apart  and  are  ready  for  the 
print  making  to  begin. 

ACID  FIXING  BATH. 

The  Acid  Fixing  Bath  may  be  prepared  as  follows  if  desired  : 


Water, . 16  ozs. 

Hyposulphite  of  Soda,  ....  4  ozs. 

Sulphite  of  Soda  (anhydrous),  -  -  So  grains. 

when  fully  dissolved ,  add  the  following  hardener  : 

Powdered  Alum, . y%  oz. 

Citric  Acid, . '/&  oz. 


This  bath  may  be  made  up  at  any  time  in  advance  and  be  used  so  long 
as  it  retains  its  strength,  or  is  not  sufficiently  discolored  by  developer 
carried  into  it  as  to  stain  the  negatives. 

WASHING  AND  DRYING. 

The  methods  of  washing  and  drying  remain  the  same,  no  matter  what 
the  methods  of  developing  and  fixing. 


8o 


DE  VEL  O  PMENT. 


WASHING. 

The  film  may  be  placed  in  a  wash  bowl  of  cold  water  and 
left  to  soak  for  five  minutes  each  in  five  changes  of  cold  water, 
moving  it  about  occasionally  to  insure  this  water  acting  evenly 
upon  it,  or  it  may  be  given,  say,  two  changes  as  above  and  then 
left  for  an  hour  in  a  wash  bowl  or  tray  with  a  very  gentle  stream 
of  water  running  in  and  out. 

DRYING. 

When  thoroughly  washed,  snap  an  Eastman  Film  Develop¬ 
ing  Clip  on  each  end  of  the  strip  and  hang  it  up  to  dry,  being 
sure  it  swings  clear  of  the  wall  so  that  there  will  be  no  possibility 
of  either  side  of  the  film  coming  in  contact  with  the  latter.  In 
DR'cups'ITH  drying,  N.  C.  Film  should  be  cut  up  into  strips  of  not  more  than 
six  exposures  in  length. 

If  the  film  has  been  cut  up,  pin  by  one  corner  to  the  edge  of  a  shelf  or 
hang  the  negative  on  a  stretched  string  by  means  of  a  bent  pin,  running 
the  pin  through  the  corner  of  film  to  the  head,  then  hooking  it  over  the 
string. 

Always  keep  finished  negatives  flat — do  not  roll  them  up.  An  Eastman 
Indexed  Negative  Album  keeps  them  in  perfect  order. 

WARNING. 

Do  not  let  either  surface  of  N.  C.  Film  come  in  contact  with  anything 
while  drying. 

Use  an  Acid  Fixing  Bath. 

If  the  black  paper  sticks  to  back  of  film  and  does  not  come  off  in  the 
bath,  rub  gently  with  the  ball  of  finger  while  the  film  is  immersed. 


DEVELOPMENT. 


81 


THE  DARK-ROOM  METHOD. 

The  first  essential  is  a  dark-room.  By  a  dark-room  is  meant  one  that 
is  wholly  dark — not  a  ray  of  light  in  it.  Such  a  room  can  easily  besecured 
at  night  almost  anywhere.  The  reason  a  dark-room  is  required  is  that  the 
film  is  extremely  sensitive  to  white  light,  either  daylight  or  lamplight,  and 
would  be  spoiled  if  exposed  to  it  even  for  a  fraction  of  a  second. 

If  possible  have  running  water,  but  if  this  is  not  available  provide  a 
pitcher  of  cold  water  (ice  water  in  summer),  a  shelf  or  table  on  which  to 
work  and  (for  use  with  film)  a  pair  of  shears. 

Also  provide  a  Developing  and  Printing  Outfit  which  should  contain  : 

i  Dark-Room  Lamp,  Package  Developer  Powders, 

4  Developing  Trays,  i  lb.  Kodak  Acid  Fixing  Powders, 

i  Glass  Beaker,  i  Package  Bromide  Potassium, 

i  Stirring  Rod, 

Such  an  outfit  need  not  cost  more  than  one  or  two  dollars  and  will  be 
sufficiently  elaborate  for  your  first  work. 

TO  DEVELOP  FILM. 

Film  is  handled  in  much  the  same  manner  as  plates  except,  of  course, 
that  it  must  be  cut  up  before  printing. 

For  all  Kodak  cartridge  rolls,  shorter  than  4x5,  1 2  exposure,  we 
recommend  that  development  be  done  in  the  strip,  as  this  method  removes 
the  possibility  of  cutting  through  the  negatives.  The  same  method  may 
be  used  with  the  larger  sizes,  but  owing  to  their  length  is, 
perhaps,  not  quite  so  convenient  as  to  cut  up  the  film 
before  development  is  started,  as  described  on  page  84. 

Having  shut  out  all  extraneous  light 
and  lighted  the  dark-room  lamp. 

a.  Unroll  the  film  and  detach 
the  black  paper. 

b.  Pass  the  film  through  a 
tray  of  clean,  cold  water,  as  shown 
in  the  cut,  holding  one  end  in  each 
hand.  Pass  through  the  water 
several  times,  that  there  may  be 
no  bubbles  remaining  on  the  film. 

When  it  is  thoroughly  wet,  with 


82 


DE  VEL  OP  ME  NT. 


no  air  bubbles,  place  the  strip  of  film  in  a  tray  of  water,  immersing  it 
fully  but  not  folding  tightly  so  as  to  crack  it. 

c.  Prepare  the  developer  as  described  on  page  83. 

d.  Now  pass  the  film  through  the  developer  in  the  same  manner  as 
described  for  wetting  it,  and  shown  in  cut.  Keep  it  constantly  in  motion, 
and  in  about  one  minute  the  high  lights  will  begin  to  darken  and  you  will 
readily  be  able  to  distinguish  the  unexposed  sections  between  the  negatives, 
and  in  about  two  minutes  will  be  able  to  distinguish  objects  in  the  picture. 
Complete  development  in  the  strip,  giving  sufficient  length  of  development 
to  bring  out  what  detail  you  can  in  the  thinnest  negatives. 

Keep  the  strip  which  is  being  developed  constantly  in  motion,  allowing 
the  developer  to  act  five  to  ten  minutes.  The  progress  of  development 
may  be  watched  by  holding  the  negatives  up  to  the  lamp  from  time  to  time. 

When  developing  Eastman’s  N.  C.  Film,  care  must  be  taken  not  to 
hold  it  close  to  the  lamp  for  any  length  of  time.  These  films  are  very 
rapid  and  are  orthochromatic,  therefore  liable  to  fog  unless  handled  very 
carefully  in  the  dark-room  or  developed  in  the  Kodak  Developing 
Machine  or  Tank. 

e.  After  completing  development,  cut  the  negatives  apart  with  a  pair 
of  shears,  transfer  to  the  third  tray,  and  rinse  two  or  three  times  with  clear, 
cold  water.  Now  proceed  according  to  paragraph  6,  page  83. 

This  method  must  always  be  followed  with  the  Cartridge  Roll  Holder 
rolls,  but  they  may  first  be  cut  in  two  at  point  where  perforations  occur  in 
the  middle  of  strip. 


ANOTHER  WAY. 


1.  Unroll  the  film  and  cut  the  ex¬ 
posures  apart  as  shown  in  Fig.  I. 

In  unrolling  the  film  preparatory  to 
development,  care  must  be  taken  that  the 
end  be  not  allowed  to  roll  up  over  the 
paper.  The  exposures  should  be  cut 
apart  with  the  paper  on  top. 

Fig.  II  shows  a  cartridge  unrolled 
with  the  film  on  top.  To  correct  this, 
simply  turn  back  the  film  as  indicated  by 
the  dotted  lines,  thus  bringing  the  film 
under  the  paper. 

2.  Fill  one  of  the  trays  nearly  full  of 
ures,  one  by  one,  face  down;  put  them  in 
immerse  them  fully. 


water,  and  put  into  it  the  expos- 
edgewise,  to  avoid  air  bells,  and 


DE  VEL  O  P MEN  T. 


83 


Cover  the  tray  with  a  bit  of  brown 
paper  to  keep  out  the  light  from  the 
lamp. 

3.  Open  one  of  the  developer  pow¬ 
ders,  then  put  the  contents,  (two  chem¬ 
icals)  into  the  beaker  and  pour  in  four 
ounces  of  water.  Stir  until  dissolved  with 
the  stirring  rod,  and  pour  into  second 
tray. 

4.  Take  one  of  the  exposures  from  the  water  and  immerse  it,  face 
down ,  in  the  second  tray.  Rock  it  back  and  forth  to  prevent  streaks  and 
air  bubbles  ;  in  about  one  minute  the  film  will 
begin  to  darken  in  spots,  representing  the  lights 
of  the  picture,  and  in  about  two  minutes  the 
operator  will  be  able  to  distinguish  obje&s  in 
the  pi&ure.  The  developer  should  be  allowed 
to  a<5t  five  to  ten  minutes. 

5.  Transfer  the  developed  film  to  the 
third  tray,  and  rinse  two  or  three  times  with 
water,  leaving  it  to  soak  while  the  next  film  is  being  developed. 

Note -Five  or  six  4x5  negatives  can  be  developed,  one  after  the  other,  in  one  portion  of  devel¬ 
oper,  made  by  use  of  Eastman's  Special  Developer  Powders,  then  it  should  be  thrown  away  and  a  fresh 
portion  mixed. 

Only  one  negative  should  be  developed  at  a  time  until  the  operator 
becomes  expert. 

As  each  successive  negative  is  developed,  it  should  be  put,  with  the 
preceding  negatives,  in  the  washing  tray,  and  the  water  changed  twice,  to 
prevent  the  developer  remaining  in  the  films  from  staining  them. 

6.  Prepare  in  the  fourth  tray  sufficient  fixing  bath  to  fully  cover  the 
negatives,  use  1  ounce  of  Kodak  Acid  Fixing  Powder  to  each  4  ounces  of 
water. 

7.  Immerse  the  negatives  one  by  one  in  the  fixing  bath  until  they  are 
entirely  clear  of  white  spots  and  are  transparent  instead  of  milky  by  trans¬ 
mitted  light.  This  will  require  about  ten  minutes. 

8.  The  yellow  shade  can  be  removed  from  the  lamp  as  soon  as  all  the 
exposures  have  been  fixed. 

Wash  and  dry  as  per  directions  on  page  80. 

The  fixing  solution  must  only  be  used  in  tray  No.  4,  and  the  negatives, 
after  fixing,  must  not  be  put  in  either  No.  1  or  No.  2  trays.  Neither  must 
any  of  the  fixing  solution  be  allowed  to  touch  the  films,  through  the  agency 
of  the  fingers,  or  otherwise,  until  they  are  ready  to  go  into  the  fixing  bath, 
otherwise,  they  will  be  spotted  or  blackened,  so  as  to  be  useless. 


84 


DE  VEL  OP  ME  NT. 


The  trays  and  beaker  should  now  be  rinsed  out  and  set  away  to  drain 
and  dry. 


A  FEW  REMARKS  UPON  DEVELOPMENT. 

The  foregoing  pages  fully  cover  the  subject  of  development  so  far  as 
telling  the  beginner  exactly  what  to  do  is  concerned.  If  the  amateur  fol¬ 
lows  absolutely  the  directions  therein  given  he  will  secure  good  results ;  but 
a  word  of  the  theory  of  development  will  nevertheless  prove  interesting  and 
instructive. 

An  exposed  and  unexposed  film  do  not  differ,  so  far  as  the  eye  can 
judge.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  to  treat  the  exposed  film  with  a  solution 
containing  certain  chemicals  to  reveal  the  action  of  the  sun’s  rays. 

This  is  called  development. 

The  chemicals  are  the  developer. 

The  aCtive  or  developing  agent,  such  as  Pyrogallic  acid  (commonly 
known  as  Pyro)  and  Hydrochinon,  affeCt  the  latent  image  by  reducing  to 
metallic  silver  those  parts  which  have  been  affeCted  by  the  light.  In  other 
words,  it  blackens  them.  But  these  agents  require  the  use  of  another  sub¬ 
stance  to  give  them  energy: 


ACCELERATOR. 

An  alkali  when  mixed  with  the  aCtive  developing  agent  gives  it  a 
greater  affinity  for  oxygen ;  it  therefore  becomes  more  energetic  as  a  reducer. 
This  alkali  is  called  an  accelerator.  The  alkalies  most  commonly  used  are 
Carbonate  of  Soda  (known  as  sal  soda  and  washing  soda)  and  Carbonate  of 
Potassium. 


RESTRAINER. 

A  restrainer  is  a  substance  that  has  the  power  to  restrain  or  retard  the 
action  of  development.  Bromide  of  Potassium,  most  commonly  used  for 
that  purpose,  has  the  property  of  dissolving  a  certain  amount  of  Bromide  of 
Silver  from  the  film,  thereby  forming  a  double  salt  which  is  less  easily 
reduced  by  the  developer.  This  action  having  taken  place,  the  develop¬ 
ment  is  much  slower;  hence  the  name,  “  restrainer.” 


DE  VEL  O  PM ENT. 


85 


PRESERVATIVE. 

The  preservative  is  a  substance  that  will  keep  the  developer  from 
discoloring  and  oxydizing  when  it  is  to  be  kept  for  future  use.  “Sulphite 
of  Soda  ’’  is  most  commonly  used  for  that  purpose;  it  also  has  much  to  do 
with  the  color  of  the  negative.  If  only  a  very  small  portion  be  used  the 
negative  will  be  brown,  the  quality  being  harsh  and  hard  and  one  that  will 
give  you  a  print  of  much  contrast,  while  the  use  of  a  greater  portion  gives  a 
gray,  soft  negative  with  more  detail. 

FIXING  THE  NEGATIVE. 

The  fixing  or  clearing  of  a  negative  is  due  to  the  action  of  the  “  Hypo¬ 
sulphite  of  Soda’’  eating  out  the  Bromide  of  Silver  not  acted  upon  by  the 
light,  and  until  this  has  been  accomplished  it  is  still  sensitive.  When  the 
creamy  appearance  on  the  back  of  the  negative  disappears  it  may  be  called 
“fixed,”  and  can  then  be  taken  from  the  bath  and  exposed  to  any  light 
without  fear  of  injury. 


86 


DE  VEL  OPMENT. 


DEFECTIVE  NEGATIVES. 

Defective  negaiives  may  be  caused  by  under  or  over  exposure  or  by 
careless  handling  during  development  and  subsequent  operations. 

Over  or  under-development  is  usually  occasioned  by  the  fa<5t  that  the 
inexperienced  operator  is  unable  to  tell,  under  the  dark-room  light,  whether 
he  has  carried  the  develop¬ 
ment  far  enough  or  not  and 
he  is  extremely  likely  to  err 
on  the  side  of  under-develop¬ 
ment. 

A  properly  exposed 
negative  should  be  de¬ 
veloped  for  five  minutes. 

If  you  feel  that  you  have 
under-exposed  the  negative 
no  harm  will  come  from 
developing  up  to  eight 
minutes.  The  beginner  will, 
as  a  rule,  secure  better 
results  by  timing  develop¬ 
ment  by  the  watch  than  he 

appearance  of  the  negative. 

Fig.  i  shows  an  under¬ 
exposed  negative  clear  in  the 
dark  parts  or  shadows  with 
an  entire  absence  of  detail, 
the  high  lights  or  white  parts  of  the  subject  being  black,  also  lacking  in 
detail.  This  fault  is  caused  by  making  snap  shots  indoors,  or  in  the  shade, 
or  when  the  light  is  weak,  late  in  the  day,  or  by  closing  the  lens  too  soon 
on  time  exposures. 

Fig.  2  shows  an  over-exposed  and  over-developed  negative,  full  of 
detail  but  flat,  lacking  all  contrast  and  brilliancy  and  at  the  same  time  it 
looks  black  or  dense. 

Caused  by  too  much  light. 

Negative  develops  evenly,  shadows  almost  as  fast  as  high  lights. 

No  contrast,  and  no  deep  shadows. 

If  a  negative  is  known  to  be  over-exposed  before  development  is  begun, 
it  can  be  largely  overcome  by  the  addition  of  bromide  of  potassium  to  the 


will  by  trying  to  judge  the 


Fig.  i. 


DEVELOPMENT. 


S7 


developer,  before  development 
begins,  and  a  bottle  containing 

Bromide  of  Potash,  i  oz. 

Water,  -  -  io  ozs. 

should  always  be  at  hand  when 
you  are  developing. 

Use  i  to  4  drops  for  each 
ounce  of  developer  according 
to  amount  of  over-exposure. 

After  the  Bromide  has  been 
added  to  the  developer,  it 
should  not  be  used  for  another 
negative  unless  it  is  known  to 
have  been  over-exposed. 

OVER-DEVELOP¬ 
MENT. 

Caused  by  leaving  the 
negative  too  long  in  the  devel¬ 
oper.  Fig.  2. 

In  this  case  the  negative 
is  very  strong  and  intense  by 
transmitted  light  and  requires 
a  very  long  time  to  print.  The 
remedy  is  to  reduce  by  the 
following  method  : 

REDUCER. 

First  soak  negative  20 
minutes  in  water,  then  immerse 
in  : 

Water,  -  -  6  ounces. 

Hypo-sulphite  Soda,  ounce. 
Ferri  Cyanide  Potassium,  20 
drops  (saturated  solution). 

Rock  tray  gently  back 
and  forth  until  negative  has 
been  reduced  to  the  desired 
density,  then  wash  ten  minutes 
in  running  water  or  in  four 
changes  of  water. 


Fig  3. 


88 


DE  VEL  OPMENT. 


F1G.3B. 

UNDER-DEVELOP¬ 

MENT. 

Caused  by  removal  from 
the  developer  too  soon. 

An  under-developed  nega¬ 
tive  differs  from  an  under¬ 
exposed  one,  in  that  it  is  apt 
to  be  thin  and  full  of  detail, 
instead  of  harsh  and  lacking 
in  detail.  If  the  development 
is  carried  on  as  before  diredled, 
this  defedt  is  not  liable  to 
occur. 

If  a  mistake  has  been 
made  in  developing  and  the 
negative  does  not  appear  strong 
enough  (this  can  be  judged 
only  by  experience),  the  nega¬ 
tive  can  be  improved  by 


Negatives  may  be  reduced 
locally  by  applying  the  above 
solution  to  the  dense  parts 
with  a  camel’s  hair  brush, 
rinsing  off  the  reducer  with 
clear  water  occasionally  to  pre¬ 
vent  its  running  onto  the  parts 
of  the  negative  that  do  not 
require  reducing. 

Fig.  3  shows  a  negative 
correbtly  timed  and  developed  ; 
note  the  brilliancy,  depth,  and 
well-defined  detail  compared 
with  Nos.  1  and  2. 

Fig.  3  B  is  a  positive  print 
from  negative  No.  3. 

Fig.  4  shows  negative 
under-developed,  having  plenty 
of  detail  but  thin  and  with  very 
slight  contrast. 


Fig.  4. 


DEVELOPMENT. 


S9 


Intensification — Lay  the  film  in  one  of  the  empty  trays  and  pour  over 
it  sufficient  Intensifier  to  fully  cover  it ;  allow  it  to  act  until  the  film  is  all 
of  one  even  color  and  then  pour  the  Intensifier  back  into  the  bottle  and 
wash  the  film  in  four  or  five  changes  of  water  for  fifteen  minutes 

Intensifier  may  be  purchased  already  prepared  or  the  amateur  may  put 
it  up  himself,  using  the  following  formula  : 

INTENSIFIER. 

No.  i,  75  Gr.  Bi-chloride  of  Mercury  (corrosive  sublimate) 

Poison,  5  oz.  Water. 

No.  2,  H2Gr.  Iodide  of  Potassium,  -  i'/2  “  “ 

“  3,  150  “  Hypo-sulphite  of  Soda  -  2 yz  “  “ 

Dissolve  separately  and  combine  No.  1  with  No.  2  and  the  resulting  mixture 
with  No.  3. 


LIGHT  FOG. 

This  is  caused  by  the  light  coming  in  contact  with  film  other  than  that 
which  comes  through  the  lens  during  the  proper  exposure.  Frequently  it 
is  caused  by  exposure  to  an  unsafe  light  during  development ;  also  by  light 
entering  the  dark-room  through  the  key-hole  or  a  crack  in  the  door. 
Examine  your  dark-room  thoroughly  before  developing  and  see  that  all 
white  light  is  excluded.  Fog  is  often  caused  by  the  negative  being  exposed 
to  light  after  development  but  before  fixing.* 

Even  the  colored  light  from  a  dark-room  lamp  will  fog  film  or  plate  if 
they  are  exposed  to  it  too  long.  Do  not  work  unnecessarily  close  to  the 
lamp  and  until  after  negatives  are  thoroughly  “  fixed  ”  keep  trays  in  which 
they  are  lying  covered  with  brown  paper  to  exclude  all  light. 


SPOTS,  STREAKS,  ETC. 

Air  bells  on  the  film  in  the  developer  or  fixing  bath  are  liable  to  cause 
spots,  and  streaks  are  caused  by  allowing  the  film  to  remain  uncovered  in 
part  by  the  various  solutions  while  in  them. 

White,  milky  spots  are  evidence  that  the  negative  has  not  been  prop¬ 
erly  fixed,  and  the  negative  should  be  put  back  into  the  fixing  bath,  and 
then  rewashed. 

Sometimes  after  the  negative  is  dry  you  will  find  a  deposit  of  small 
crystals  on  its  surface.  This  is  Hyposulphite  of  Soda  and  indicates  insuf¬ 
ficient  washing. 

*If  developer  is  thoroughly  washed  out  of  film,  short  exposure  to  weak  light  will  do  no  harm  between 
development  and  fixing. 


9° 


DE  VEL  OPMENT. 


TEMPERATURE 


Keep  your  baths  during  use  at  a  uniform  temperature,  about  65° 
Fahr.  Much  trouble  is  caused  by  the  developer  and  fixing  baths  being  too 
warm  or  too  cold.  When  too  warm  the  result  is  frequently  a  weak  “mealy” 
negative.  It  may  cause  the  film  to  fog  (the  casting  of  a  haze  or  veil  over 
the  surface).  The  edges  may  frill  or  loosen  from  the  support ;  should  the 
temperature  reach  85°  the  film  would  soften. 

In  hot,  muggy  weather  keep  the  developer  cool  with  a  small  piece  of 
ice  in  the  tray,  or  better  still,  set  the  developing  tray  in  a  tray  of  larger 
dimensions,  filling  the  space  between  the  sides  and  ends  with  chopped  ice. 


WHAT  DEVELOPER  TO  USE 


It  is  well  not  to  try  too  many  developers  at  the  beginning.  To  under¬ 
stand  one  thoroughly,  or  at  the  most  two,  will  give  you  results  from  which 
you  will  obtain  more  satisfaction  than  should  you  dabble  with  the  various 
formulas  on  the  market  to-day.  Thoroughly  master  one  before  trying 
others.  One  may  start  with  “  Pyro  ”  or  “  Hydrochinon,”  which  are  with¬ 
out  doubt  two  of  the  best. 

Pyro,  the  most  popular,  has  a  decided  tendency  to  stain  the  fingers. 
Should  this  be  objected  to,  Hydrochinon  (which  is  free  from  that  objection) 
can  be  used  with  good  results.  Not  every  photographic  beginner  owns  a 
pair  of  chemist’s  scales,  which  are  a  necessity  should  he  wish  to  compound 
the  formula  himself.  Rather  than  be  uncertain  as  to  correctness,  we  would 
advise  the  use  of  developing  powders.  Eastman’s  Special  Developer 
Powders  are  particularly  desirable  as  they  do  not  stain  the  fingers.  If,  how¬ 
ever,  the  amateur  desires  to  mix  his  own  developer,  the  following  stock 
solution  used  as  below  will  be  found  an  excellent  developer  for  either  the 
dark-room  or  the  Tank. 


PYRO  DEVELOPING  FORMULA. 


PYROGALLIC  ACID  SOLUTION. 


Metric 


“  A.” 


Avoirdupois.  System. 
i  oz.  30  grams. 
20  minims.  1  c.  c. 


Pyrogallic  Acid, 
Sulphuric  Acid, 
Water, 


28  ozs.  900  c.  c. 


SODA  SOLUTION. 


“  B,” 

^Carbonate  Soda  (Anhydrous), 


Metric 

Avoirdupois.  System. 


^Sulphite  Soda  (Anhydrous), 
Watei, 


2  ozs.  60  grams. 

3  ozs  90  grams. 

28  ozs.  900  c.  c. 


*If  crystals  are  used,  double  the  quantity. 


DE  VELOPMENT. 


9i 


For  dark-room  development  take 

“A.”  -  -  -  -  -  '/i  oz.  (  1 5  c.  c.) 

“  B,”  -  -  -  -  -  yz  oz.  (  15  c.  c.) 

Water,  -----  4  ozs.  ( 120  c.  c.) 

This  developer  will  then  contain  1.56  grains  Pyro  per  ounce. 


For  6  minute  development  in  Developing  Machine  or  10  minute 
development  in  Tank  Developer  use  the  following  proportions  : 

“A,”  -  -  -  -  -  1  oz.  (30  c.  c. ) 

“  B,”  -  -  -  -  -  ioz,  (30  c.  c.) 

Water,  -----  10  ozs.  (300  c.  c.) 

This  developer  will  then  contain  1.30  grains  Pyro  per  ounce. 


For  20  minute  development  in  Tank  Developer  use  the  following  pro¬ 
portions  : 

“A,”  -  -  -  -  -  1  oz.  (  30  c.  c. ) 

“  B,”  -  -  -  -  -  ioz.  (30  c.  c.) 

Water,  -----  22  ozs.  (660  c.  c. ) 

This  developer  will  then  contain  .65  grains  Pyro  per  ounce. 


DEVELOPING  DRY  PLATES. 

The  foregoing  directions  apply  to  dry  plates  as  well  as  films,  the 
chemical  treatment  being  the  same,  except  that  the  preliminary  wetting 
may  be  omitted  with  plates. 

Plates,  however,  must  be  handled  in  the  solutions  one  at  a  time  as  they 
would  scratch  each  other  if  a  larger  number  were  put  into  the  trays  simul¬ 
taneously.  They  should  also  be  developed  face  up. 


(7) 


PRINTING. 


Having  developed  the  negatives,  the  final  step  in  pi&ure  making  is 
now  in  order — making  the  prints.  For  printing  there  are  many  papers — 
grouped  under  two  general  classes,  “printing  out’’  papers,  where  the 
image  is  visible  after  printing  and  “developing  out’’  papers  which  require 
a  developing  solution  to  make  the  image  visible. 

For  the  amateur  there  is  no  more  satisfactory  printing  process  than 
that  offered  by  the  use  of  Velox.  Prints  made  by  this  process  give  a  rich, 
soft  Platinum  effect  not  excelled  by  any  other  paper. 

Velox  can  be  printed  by  either  artificial  light  or  daylight,  and  like  an 
exposure  on  film  the  image  is  not  visible  and  it  must  therefore  be  developed. 

The  process  is  simple,  but  like  all  others  it  requires  some  skill  and 
judgment,  both  of  which  can  easily  be  acquired  by  strict  adherence  to  the 
given  rules  and  formula. 


ABOUT  VELOX. 

Velox  is  suitable  for  every  class  of  work,  as  is  fully  demonstrated  under 
the  heading  of  “Surfaces  and  Grades.’’  Velox  should  not  be  confused 
with  Bromide  or  any  other  paper  ;  it  has  distinctive  qualities  of  its 
own  which  have  never  been  successfully  imitated.  Many  improvements 
have  recently  been  made  in  its  manufacture  and  to-day  Velox  is  the  perfected 
produCt  of  years  of  experiment. 

The  different  surfaces  and  grades  in  which  it  is  manufactured  enable 
the  user  to  produce  good  prints  from  almost  any  negative,  suiting  his  taste 
as  well  as  the  peculiar  requirements  of  the  negatives. 

SURFACES  AND  GRADES. 

Velox  is  made  in  six  different  surfaces  and  divided  broadly  into  two 
grades  of  papers,  called  “  Regular’’  and  “  Special.”  As  these  trade  terms 
have  reference  to  speed  and  contrast  and  not  surface,  we  could  as  well  say 
“slow”  and  “fast”  or  “hard”  and  “soft.”  In  each  grade  will  be  found 
a  variety  of  surfaces.  Choose  the  surface  which  best  suits  you  and  which 


PRINTING. 


93 


will  harmonize  with  the  subject  of  your  piblure.  Sele<5t  your  negatives, 
remembering  that  the  “  Regular  ”  papers  print  slowly,  but  develop  quickly, 
and  are  adapted  for  negatives  lacking  contrast,  and  known  as  “thin”  or 
“weak”  negatives.  “Special”  papers  require  shorter  exposure  and 
longer  development  (as  compared  with  the  “Regular”)  and  are  for  use 
with  “  contrasty  ”  negatives.  Such  negatives  are  also  referred  to  as  being 
strong,  thick,  dense  or  hard. 

Royal  Velox  differs  from  the  other  Velox  papers  in  that  it  is  coated  on 
a  stock  having  a  cream  tint,  just  a  soft  mellow  tone  that  prevents  harshness 
in  the  high  lights.  The  stock  is  somewhat  heavier  than  the  usual  Velox 
stock,  about  half-way  between  the  single  and  the  double  weight. 

Royal  Velox  prints  are  delightful  when  developed  in  the  ordinary  way, 
but  to  get  their  full  value  should  be  re-developed.  See  page  ioi. 

Royal  Velox  is  furnished  in  both  “  Regular”  and  “  Special.” 

Any  negatives  which  will  produce  good  results  with  printing-out  paper 
should  be  printed  on  Special,  while  Regular  Velox  is  adapted  to  negatives 
which  are  too  soft  for  other  photographic  papers. 

To  those  familiar  with  Velox  paper  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  seledt  the 
grade  which  is  best  suited  for  the  results  desired.  The  novice,  however, 
is  guided  usually  by  the»advice  of  others  and  often  is  misled  into  using  a 
wrong  grade  of  Velox,  thereby  failing  to  secure  the  results  expected,  and  is 
inclined  to  believe  that  the  paper  is  at  fault.  The  following  table  of  grades 
and  weights  of  Velox  should  be  an  aid  to  those  contemplating  using  this 
paper  : 

SURFACES,  WEIGHTS  AND  GRADES  OF  VELOX. 


GRADE 

SURFACE 

SPEED 

GRADE 

SURFACE 

SPEED 

^Velvet  Velox 

Semi-Gloss 

Special 

*Rough  Velox 

Matte 

Special 

^Velvet  Velox 

Semi-Gloss 

Regular 

Glossy  Velox 

Enameled 

Regular 

*Portrait  Velox 

Smooth  Matte 

Special 

Glossy  Velox 

Enameled 

Special 

*Carbon  Velox 

Matte 

Regular 

Royal  Velox 

Matte 

Regular 

Carbon  Velox 

Matte 

Special 

Royal  Velox 

Matte 

Special 

^Furnished  also  in  Double  Weight  Velox  ;  double  weight  papers 
require  no  mount  and  when  ‘printed  under  a  mask  which  will  insure  a 
white  margin,  afford  a  very  artistic  effect. 


MANIPULATION. 

Velox  prints  may  be  successfully  made,  using  daylight  for  exposure. 
Select  a  north  window,  if  possible,  as  the  light  from  this  direction  will  be 
more  uniform.  Owing  to  its  sensitiveness  the  paper  should  be  handled  in 


94 


PRINTING. 


subdued  light,  otherwise  it  will  be  liable  to  fog.  Proper  precautions  should 
be  taken  to  pull  down  the  window  shades  and  darken  the  room  sufficiently 
during  the  manipulation.  If  the  light  is  too  strong  for  printing  it  should 
be  subdued  or  diffused  by  the  use  of  several  thicknesses  of  white  tissue 
paper.  Owing  to  the  varying  intensity  of  daylight  uniform  results  are  not 
as  certain  as  when  using  artificial  light.  In  the  following  instructions  for 
manipulating  Velox,  it  must  be  understood  that  artificial  light,  preferably 
gas  w  ith  a  Welsbach  burner,  will  be  the  light  used.  A  kerosene  lamp, 
fitted  with  a  round  burner  (known  as  Rochester  burner),  may  be  used,  but 
owing  to  the  decidedly  yellow  light  this  affords,  a  considerably  longer 
exposure  will  be  necessary  than  when  using  a  Welsbach  light. 

Velox  may  be  safely  manipulated  ten  feet  from  the  ordinary  gas 
flame. 

The  comparative  exposure  with  Regular  and  Special  Velox  with  various 
sources  of  light  is  as  follows  : 


Size  of 
Negative. 

Distance 
from  light. 

£  v 

£ 

V  3 

I? 

32  c.  p.  elec 
trie  or  6  ft. 
gas  burner. 

16  c.  p.  elec¬ 

tric  or  4  ft. 
gas  burner. 

Average  oil 

lamp. 

SPECIAL 

VELOX 

4  x  5  or 
smaller 

7  inches 

io  sec. 

20  sec. 

30  sec. 

40  sec. 

REGULAR 

VELOX 

4  x  5  or 
smaller 

7  inches 

40  sec. 

80  sec. 

2  min. 

3  min. 

PRINTING  REQUISITES. 

The  absolute  necessities  for  making  Velox  prints  are  few  in  number 
and  simple  in  character.  Either  day  light  or  artificial  light  are  of  course 
essential,  also  developing  solutions  and  water  for  washing  the  prints.  The 
ordinary  printing  frame  is  used  in  making  exposures.  The  artistic  possi¬ 
bilities  of  Velox  make  it  worthy  of  the  study  of  all  photographers  and  a 
convenient  apparatus  for  measuring  the  distance  from  the  light  and  for 
adjusting  each  negative  to  the  proper  angle  of  exposure  is  of  great  assist¬ 
ance.  As  an  aid,  we  recommend  the  Velox  Amateur  Printer,  not  only  to 
help  those  who  are  already  making  good  Velox  prints,  but  to  assist  the 
beginner  in  mastering  the  delightful  art  of  Velox  printing  in  the  shortest 
possible  time. 

The  construction  of  the  Velox  printer  is  simple  and  it  is  furnished 
with  attachments  for  use  either  with  gas  or  electricity. 


PRINTING. 


95 


Aside  from  suitable  light  and 
work  room,  you  will  require  : 

3  trays,  preferably  enameled 
iron  (a  full  size  larger  than  the  prints 
to  be  made). 

i  printing  frame  and  glass  to 
fit,  if  films  are  to  be  printed. 

i  4-0Z.  graduate. 

1  bottle  Nepera  Solution. 

1  bottle  Velox  Liquid  Hardener 

1  lb.  Crystal  or  Granulated 
Hypo. 

x  package  each  Regular  and 
Special  Velox. 


Arrange  the  three  trays  before  you  on  your  work  table  in  this  order  : 


2  ozs.  Nepera 

Clean  Water. 

13 

4  ozs.  Hypo 

Solution 

£ 

0 

16  ozs.  Water 

4  ozs.  Water. 

h 

1  oz.  Hardener. 

1 

2 

X 

3 

In  the  center  of  the  above  spaces  we  have  indicated  the  solution  which 
each  tray  should  contain  for  developing  Regular  Velox.  If  Special  is  used, 
double  the  quantity  of  water  should  be  added  to  the  developer  (Tray 
No.  1).  Do  not  be  too  sparing  of  the  amount  of  the  solutions  used, 
especially  of  your  fixing  bath  (Tray  No.  3);  if  making  three  or  four  dozen 
prints  (4  x  5)  use  a  full  pint  (see  formula  page  99  ;  see,  also,  note  regard¬ 
ing  fixing  bath  for  Royal  Velox,  page  99),  and  do  not  keep  it  after  using, 
as  a  fresh  bath  will  give  best  results. 

Proper  temperature  is  important  and  for  best  results  the  developer 
should  be  70  degrees  Fahr.  and  the  fixing  bath  and  wash  water  50  degrees 
Fahr.  If  the  developer  exceeds  70  degrees  the  prints  are  liable  to  fog  and 
the  emulsion  soften.  If  too  cold,  chemical  action  is  retarded,  resulting  in 
flat,  weak  prints. 

PRINTING. 


You  are  now  ready  for  exposure  and  the  printing  frame  should  be 
filled.  Place  the  sensitized  side  of  the  sheet  of  Velox  against  the  film  side 
of  the  negative,  the  paper  curls  slightly,  the  sensitive  side  being  concave. 
An  absolute  test  is  to  bite  the  corner  of  the  sheet,  the  sensitive  side  will 
adhere  to  the  teeth. 

Place  the  printing  frame  the  corre<5t  distance  from  the  artificial  light 


96 


PRINTING. 


used,  holding  the  frame  away  from  the  burner  a  distance  equal  to  the 
diagonal  of  the  negative.  To  prove  that  the  light  is  evenly  diffused  at  the 
point  selected  for  exposure,  take  a  piece  of  white  cardboard,  the  size  of  the 
negative,  and  move  its  position  with  reference  to  the  light  until  you  find 
the  shortest  distance  at  which  an  even  illumination  is  secured.  A  feu- 
seconds  exposure  will  be  required  when  printing  an  average  negative  on 
Special  Velox.  Regular  Velox  needs  from  four  to  five  times  as  much 
exposure  as  Special,  if  in  using  both  grades  the  printing  frame  is  held  at  the 
same  distance  from  the  light.  We  suggest  that  before  making  the  first 
exposure  the  cutting  of  a  piece  of  Velox  paper  into  strips  about  an  inch 
wide  and  placing  one  of  them  over  an  important  part  of  the  negative,  make 
the  exposure,  using  your  best  judgment  as  to  the  distance  from  the  light 
and  the  time  of  printing.  Develop  it,  and  if  not  satisfadory  try  another 
strip,  varying  the  time  as  indicated  by  the  first  result.  When  the  desired 
effect  is  secured,  you  can  make  any  number  of  prints  from  the  same  nega¬ 
tive,  and  if  the  time  of  exposure,  distance  from  light  as  well  as  the  time  of 
developing  are  identical,  all  the  prints  should  be  equally  good.  By  com¬ 
paring  your  other  negatives  with  the  one  you  have  tested,  you  will  be  able 
to  make  a  fairly  accurate  estimate  of  exposure  required  by  any  negative. 

After  taking  the  exposed  piece  of  paper  from  the  printing  frame,  in  a 
safe  place  previously  selected,  it  is  ready  for  development.  The  dry  print 
should  be  immersed  face  up  in  the  developer  (Tray  No.  i)  and  quickly  and 
evenly  covered  with  the  solution.  Regular  Velox  should  be  developed  not 
to  exceed  fifteen  seconds  ;  Special  about  twice  as  long.  No  exact  time  can 
be  given  as  the  strength  of  developer  used  would  make  a  difference  in  the 
time.  With  our  prepared  liquid  developers,  the  addition  of  Bromide  of 
Potassium  is  unnecessary,  the  correct  proportion  being  in  the  solution.  As 
soon  as  the  image  has  reached  the  desired  depth  remove  from  the  developer 
to  the  tray  (No.  2)  and  rinse  for  a  moment,  turning  the  print  several  times, 
then  place  it  in  the  acid  fixing  bath  (Tray  No.  3),  keeping  the  print 
moving  for  a  few  seconds,  the  same  as  was  done  when  rinsing,  so  as  to  give 
even  and  thorough  fixing,  preventing  stains  and  other  troubles.  See  page 
99  for  note  regarding  fixing  bath  for  Royal  Velox.  Leave  the  print  in 
this  solution  until  thoroughly  fixed  ;  this  will  take  about  fifteen  minutes. 
When  fixed,  remove  from  the  fixing  bath  and  wash  thoroughly  for  about  an 
hour  in  running  water,  then  dry.  After  drying,  prints  may  be  trimmed 
and  mounted. 

You  should  be  systematic  in  working,  remembering  that  cleanliness  is 
essential  in  photography.  Care  must  be  taken  to  prevent  the  Hypo  in  any 
way  getting  into  the  tray  containing  the  developer.  Have  a  clean  towel 
when  beginning  the  work  and  wipe  your  hands  each  time  after  you  have 
handled  prints  in  Hypo  solution. 


PRINTING. 


97 


NOTES  ON  DEVELOPMENT. 

Various  developing  agents  are  used  in  the  production  of  Velox  prints 
and  are  marketed  under  different  trade  names,  such  as  Amidol,  Ortol, 
Edinol,  Metol  and  Hydroquinone,  etc.  Amidol  affords  a  very  blue-black 
tone,  but  owing  to  rapid  oxidation,  a  fresh  solution  should  be  mixed  each 
time  prints  are  to  be  made.  Ortol  and  Edinol  afford  very  satisfactory 
results.  It  has  been  proved,  however,  that  Metol  and  Hydroquinone  in 
combination  yield  the  very  best  results  on  Velox  when  used  in  the  propor¬ 
tion  given  in  our  formula.  Owing  to  the  difficulty  many  have  in  securing 
absolutely  pure  chemicals  and  the  trouble  and  subsequent  loss  of  material 
to  those  attempting  to  compound  their  own  developers,  we  recommend  the 
use  of  our  liquid  developers,  N.  A.  Velox  Liquid  Developer  and  Nepera 
Solution,  for  Velox  papers.  To  those  who  prefer  to  prepare  their  own 
solution,  we  advise  the  following  formula  : 


M.  0.  DEVELOPER. 


(Dissolve  chemicals  in  the  order  named.) 


METRIC 

SYSTEM. 


Water, . 

Metol, . 

Hydroquinone, 

Sulphite  Soda  (desiccated) 
Carbonate  Soda  (desiccated)  - 


io  ozs.=3oo  c.  c. 
7  grains =>£  gramme 
30  grains=2  grammes 
-  no  grains=7  grammes 
200  grains=i3  grammes 


10  per  cent,  solution  Bromide  Potassium,  40  drops=40  drops 


This  solution  will  keep  indefinitely  if  placed  in  bottles  filled  to  the  neck 
and  tightly  corked.  It  should  be  used  full  strength  for  “  Regular  Velox,” 
but  can  be  diluted  with  equal  parts  of  water  when  “  Special”  papers  are 
developed. 

Note. — In  England,  Canada,  or  wherever  the  British  Pharmacopoeia 
is  official,  use  150  grains  of  desiccated  sodium  carbonate  instead  of  200. 


N.  A.  VELOX  LIQUID  DEVELOPER. 

This  is  an  excellent  ready  to  use,  concentrated  developer  for  Velox 
papers.  Unlike  any  other  developer,  it  has  certain  qualities  which  make  it 
unique  in  photographic  work.  N.  A.  (non-abrasion)  means  that  all 
abrasion  or  friction  marks,  to  which  all  glossy  developing-out  papers  are 
particularly  susceptible,  will  be  prevented  by  this  solution.  Another  feature 
is  the  guide  it  gives  to  thorough  fixing — the  print  is  not  absolutely  fixed 
until  the  canary  yellow  color  entirely  disappears  by  fixing  in  a  correctly 
prepared  Acid  Hypo  Bath.  This  developer  yields  the  softest  possible 


PRINTING. 


98 


prints  when  undiluted  and  it  is  well  to  remember  that  the  stronger  the 
developer ,  the  softer  the  print. 

The  following  formula  should  be  used  for  Special  Velox  : 


N.  A.  Velox  Liquid  Developer, 
Water . 

Developer  for  Regular  Velox  : 

N.  A.  Velox  Liquid  Developer, 
Water, . 


1  oz. 

4  ozs. 


2  ozs. 
4  ozs. 


It  is  important  that  the  temperature  of  the  developing  solution  should 
be  70  degrees  Fahr.  In  summer,  if  found  necessary  to  cool  the  developer, 
do  not  place  ice  in  the  solution,  as  it  will  dilute  it.  Place  the  tray  contain¬ 
ing  developer  into  one  of  larger  size,  packing  ice  around  it.  N.  A. 
Developer  should  not  be  used  for  developing  plates  or  films. 


NEPERA  SOLUTION. 

This  is  known  as  the  “universal  developer”  because  it  may  be  used 
not  only  for  Velox,  but  Azo,  Bromide  paper,  films  or  plates.  Like  all 
Nepera  liquids,  it  is  a  concentrated  solution  with  the  combination  of  purest 
chemicals  which  will  give  the  best  results.  It  differs  from  N.  A.  Velox 
Liquid  Developer  in  that  it  does  not  possess  the  non-abrasion  and  fixing- 
guide  properties  ;  but  on  the  other  hand,  when  used  in  combination  with 
Nepera  Capsules,  four  of  which  accompany  each  4-oz.  bottle,  it  is  excellent 
for  films  or  plates,  giving  negatives  of  the  quality  best  suited  for  developing- 
out  paper. 


For  Regular  Velox  use  : 

Nepera  Solution, 

Water,  . 

For  Special  Velox  use  : 

Nepera  Solution,  ------ 

Water,  . 

The  temperature  of  the  bath  should  be  70  degrees  Fahr. 


2  OZS. 

4  ozs. 


I  oz. 
4  ozs. 


For  film  in  Rodak  Tank  Developer  or  Kodak  Developing Machine  use  : 

Nepera  Solution, . y2  Cz. 

Water,  --------  12  ozs. 

Contents  of  one  Nepera  Capsule. 

Develop  for  20  minutes. 


Without  Tank  or  Developing  Machine,  using  factorial  system,  io  is 
the  factor,  use  : 

Nepera  Solution, . y2  oz. 

Water, . 8  ozs. 

Contents  of  one  Nepera  Capsule. 

Temperature  should  be  60  degrees  Fahr. 


PRINTING. 


99 


FIXING. 

Sodium  Hypo-Sulphite  (or  Hypo  as  commercially  termed)  may  be 
obtained  for  use  in  either  a  granulated  or  crystal  form.  Its  purpose  is  to 
reduce  the  silver  salts  which  have  not  been  acted  upon  by  light.  The 
importance  of  this  chemical  is  evident,  but  it  is  probable  that  no  part  or 
process  of  photography  is  more  abused  than  that  of  correctly  preparing  a 
fixing  bath  and  properly  fixing  prints.  To  secure  permanency  prints  must 
be  fixed  in  a  fresh  solution  of  Hypo.  When  Hypo  is  first  dissolved  in 
water,  the  temperature  of  the  solution  is  materially  reduced.  It  is  impor¬ 
tant  that  the  temperature  of  a  fixing  bath  should  be  maintained  as  near  to 
50  degrees  Fahr.  as  possible.  Probably  more  prints  fade  from  insufficient 
fixing  than  lack  of  washing,  so  these  points  should  be  given  attention. 
Have  plenty  of  solution  strong  enough  to  thoroughly  fix  prints  in  at  least 
fifteen  minutes.  Always  use  the  acid  hardener  in  the  bath  as  it  will  over¬ 
come  the  tendency  of  the  fixing  bath  to  cause  blisters  and  stains. 

Our  formula  for  preparing  the  Acid  Hypo  fixing  bath  is  as  follows  : 


Water,  -  --  --  --  --64  ozs. 

Hyposulphite  of  Soda  (crystal  or  granulated),  -  16  ozs. 

When  thoroughly  dissolved,  add  the  following  hardening  solution, 
dissolving  the  chemicals  separately  and  in  the  order  named  : 

Water, .  5  ozs. 

Sulphite  of  Soda  (desiccated),  -  oz. 

Acetic  Acid  No.  8  (containing  25  per  cent,  pure 

acid), .  3  ozs- 

Powdered  Alum, .  1  oz. 


This  solution  will  keep,  and  one  pint  of  it  will  fix  at  least  one-half  gross 
of  4  x  5  prints.  If  sulphite  and  carbonate  of  soda  in  crystal  form  are 
substituted  for  desiccated,  double  the  quantities  mentioned  should  be  used. 

The  most  accurate  way  of  preparing  a  fixing  bath  is  by  using  a 
hydrometer  (silver  actinometer),  testing  the  specific  gravity  ;  70  being  the 
correct  degree. 

Amateurs  will  find  it  is  advisable  to  use  our  prepared  solutions  and  the 
concentrated  Velox  Liquid  Hardener  is  especially  recommended. 

Water,  ....  ...  16  ozs. 

Hyposulphite  of  Soda, . 4 ozs- 

Velox  Liquid  Hardener,  -----  1  oz. 

Note — Royal  Velox,  unlike  the  other  grades,  should  be  fixed  in  a 
plain  fixing  bath. 

Hypo, 

Water, 


3  ozs. 
16  ozs. 


IOO 


PRINTING . 


NOTES  ON  WASHING. 

The  finished  prints  must  be  entirely  free  from  Hypo.  To  wash  a  batch 
of  ioo  4x5  prints,  using  two  trays  of  suitable  size  and  transferring  each 
print  separately  from  one  tray  to  the  other,  changing  the  water  at  least 
twelve  times,  will  take  a  full  hour  for  the  process.  In  running  water  where 
the  prints  can  be  kept  constantly  moving  so  that  each  individual  print  has 
a  thorough  washing,  from  one-half  to  one  hour,  according  to  the  number 
of  prints,  will  be  required.  Prints  do  not  wash  if  piled  in  a  bunch  in  a  tray 
and  the  water  simply  runs  in  at  one  end  of  the  tray  and  out  of  the  other. 
In  some  localities  where  there  is  an  excessive  amount  of  iron  or  impurity  in 
water,  the  whites  in  the  prints  may  have  a  slight  yellowish  tone.  Prints 
should  not  be  allowed  to  wash  for  any  length  of  time  over  one  hour  and 
should  never  soak  over  night  in  water  as  this  tends  to  soften  the  gelatine 
film  and  entirely  spoil  the  print.  The  temperature  of  the  water  in  winter 
should  be  kept  as  uniform  as  possible,  as  ice  cold  water  will  cause  blistering. 
\\  hen  running  water  is  used  for  washing,  the  stream  should  not  be  allowed 
to  fall  directly  on  the  prints,  as  it  will  cause  breaks  in  the  fiber  of  the  paper, 
producing  blisters.  Place  a  tumbler  or  graduate  in  the  washing  tray  and 
allow  the  water  to  overflow  from  it  into  the  tray.  To  determine  when  the 
print  is  thoroughly  free  from  hypo,  the  following  test  formula  may  be 
successfully  employed. 

Permanganate  of  Potash,  -  -  -  -  8  gr. 

Caustic  Soda,  -  -  -  .  -  7  gr. 

Water  (distilled),  -----  8  ozs. 

Fill  a  glass  with  pure  water  to  which  you  have  added  3  or  4  drops  of 
the  potash  solution.  Then  take  a  couple  of  prints  from  the  wash-water  and 
allow  the  water  from  the  prints  to  drip  into  the  glass.  If  hypo  is  present, 
the  violet  color  of  the  water  in  the  glass  will  change  to  a  slight  greenish 
tint.  In  such  case  return  prints  to  the  wash- water  to  remain  until  similar 
tests  show  that  the  hypo  has  been  entirely  eliminated. 


DRYING. 

After  prints  have  been  thoroughly  washed,  remove  from  the  wash- 
water  and  place  on  a  clean  glass  in  a  pile  face  down  and  press  out  super¬ 
fluous  water.  Then  lay  out  separately,  face  down  on  cheese-cloth 
stretchers.  These  may  be  constructed  by  making  a  frame  work  of  light 
wood  and  tacking  unbleached  cheese-cloth  tightly  over  it.  Prints  dried  in 
this  manner  will  curl  but  a  trifle. 

Do  not  dry  Velox  prints  between  blotters.  They  are  likely  to  stick 
and  cause  much  annoyance. 


PRINTING. 


IOI 


ENAMELED  SURFACE  PAPER. 

Glossy,  Special  Glossy  or  Velvet  Velox  prints  can  be  burnished  or 
squeegeed.  Take  prints  from  the  wash-water  and  place  face  down  on  a 
ferrotype  tin,  squeegee  into  absolute  contact  and  allow  to  become  bone  dry, 
when  they  will  peel  off  with  the  desired  luster.  If  the  tin  has  been  in  use 
for  some  time,  portions  of  prints  may  stick  ;  to  prevent  this,  prepare  the 
tins  as  follows  : 

Dissolve  ten  grains  of  beeswax  in  one  ounce  of  benzine  ;  allow  this  to 
stand  for  a  few  hours,  in  which  time  a  precipitate  will  be  formed.  The 
clear  solution  should  be  used  for  polishing  the  tins,  applying  to  the  surface 
of  the  ferrotype  plate  with  a  soft  cloth  (canton  flannel).  When  the  surface 
of  the  tin  has  been  thoroughly  covered  with  this  preparation,  the  tin  should 
be  polished  with  a  piece  of  dry  canton  flannel  to  remove  as  much  of  the 
beeswax  as  possible.  As  beeswax  varies  in  its  composition  to  a  certain 
extent,  the  solution  may  vary  somewhat  in  consistency  so  that  an  addition 
of  benzine  may  be  necessary  to  permit  polishing  the  tins  easily. 


SEPIA  TONES  ON  VELOX. 

There  are  occasions  when  it  is  desirable  to  modify  the  tone  of  Velox 
prints,  in  order  to  secure  some  effect  more  in  keeping  with  the  subject  than 
the  original  color  produced  by  development  only.  The  sepia  tone  is 
permanent  and  may  be  secured  in  various  ways,  but  we  will  describe  only 
two  of  these  ;  the  first  known  as  the  hypo-alum  process,  and  the  second, 
Velox  Re-development.  The  hypo- alum  process  is  a  slow  and  somewhat 
uncertain  way  of  obtaining  good  results  and  consists  of  a  solution  of  hypo 
and  powdered  alum  in  boiling  water,  into  which,  when  cooled,  the  prints 
are  immersed  and  left  until  the  desired  tone  has  been  reached.  The  pro¬ 
cess  requires  from  one  to  twelve  hours  and  is  uncertain  in  exa 61  results. 
The  Velox  Re-development  process  will  give  the  best  results  in  a  much 
shorter  time,  yielding  equally  pleasing  and  permanent  tones.  Prints  on 
any  grade  or  surface  of  Velox  afford  most  pleasing  tones  when  re-developed, 
but  re-development  is  perhaps  specially  advantageous  for  prints  on  Royal 
Velox,  as  the  process  brings  out  and  accentuates  the  full  value  of  the  soft, 
creamy  stock  upon  which  Royal  Velox  is  coated;  the  finished  prints  pos¬ 
sessing  an  almost  indescribable  softness  and  delicacy. 

Velox  prints  of  any  grade  or  surface  which  have  been  evenly  and 
thoroughly  fixed  and  washed  will  give  desirable  results  with  the  Re-de¬ 
veloper,  but  some  subjects,  such  as  marines  and  snow  scenes,  are  best 
rendered  in  the  black  and  white.  Landscapes,  autumn  scenes  and  portraits 


102 


PRINTING. 


are  given  greater  artistic  values  by  the  warmth  of  tone  which  the  Re-de¬ 
veloper  affords. 

A  package  of  Re-developer  consists  of  a  box  of  14  capsules  and  a 
bottle  of  solution.  Each  capsule  contains  chemicals  which  require  only 
the  addition  of  a  certain  quantity  of  water  and  a  few  drops  pure  aqua 
ammonia  to  make  a  bleaching  bath  for  the  reduction  of  the  print  before 
re-development.  The  liquid  contained  in  the  bottle  is  highly  concentrated 
and  should  be  used  carefully,  the  entire  contents  of  a  4  oz.  bottle  being 
sufficient  to  re-develop  about  four  hundred  4x5  Velox  prints.  It  is 
important  that  the  prints  should  have  been  thoroughly  washed  so  that  no 
trace  of  hypo  remains.  Placing  the  black  and  white  print  in  the  bleaching 
solution,  let  it  remain  until  the  deepest  shadows  have  almost  disappeared  ; 
it  should  then  be  removed  and  rinsed  thoroughly  in  fresh  water,  then  placed 
in  the  re-developing  solution,  where  the  faint  image  immediately  changes 
to  a  warm  brown  tone,  gradually  deepening  until  all  its  former  brilliancy 
returns,  but  changed  to  a  sepia  tone  instead  of  black  and  white.  A  final 
washing  is  then  given  the  print,  the  whole  process  requiring  only  a  short 
time,  so  the  advantages  of  using  this  over  the  hypo-alum  process  are  quite 
evident. 

Velox  Re-developer  will  also  produce  excellent  sepia  tones  on  any 
Bromide  or  gas-light  paper  ;  the  age  of  the  print  does  not  seemingly  make 
any  difference  in  the  tones  obtainable.  Best  results  are  obtained  from  prints 
which  have  a  good  bluish  black  tone,  rather  than  a  green  or  olive  tone, 
such  as  is  produced  by  the  use  of  too  much  bromide.  Both  the  bleaching 
and  re-developing  baths  will  retain  their  strength  for  some  time,  if  kept  in 
well  stoppered  bottles.  If  the  prints  show  a  tendency  to  blister,  it  doubt¬ 
less  comes  from  not  having  used  sufficient  hardener  in  the  fixing  bath  when 
making  the  black  and  white  prints.  Too  strong  a  solution  of  Re-developer 
or  too  long  immersion  in  this  solution  will  also  cause  blisters.  A  salt  bath 
after  bleaching  may  be  used  if  blistering  is  excessive,  but  should  not  be 
necessary  if  prints,  when  first  made,  are  properly  fixed  in  a  fresh  acid  hypo 
bath. 

The  use  of  pure  aqua  ammonia  is  recommended  and  the  ordinary 
household  ammonia  should  be  avoided.  This  chemical  clears  the  whites 
and  does  not  change  the  tone  unless  an  excessive  amount  is  used. 


HOW  TO  MAKE  PRINTS  FROM  WET  NEGATIVES. 

The  negative  must  be  thoroughly  washed  and  freed  from  any  trace  of 
hypo.  Immerse  a  piece  of  Velox  paper  in  clear  water  for  a  few  seconds,  then 
placing  it  on  the  film  side  of  the  wet  negative  squeegee  it  carefully  so  as  not 


PRINTING. 


103 

to  break  the  film.  Expose  without  the  use  of  a  printing-  frame.  After  expos¬ 
ure  place  both  negative  and  paper  in  water,  allowing  them  to  soak  for  a 
moment  before  trying  to  separate  them.  Develop  and  fix  the  print  in 
the  usual  way. 

TO  REMOVE  FRICTION  MARKS  FROM  GLOSSY 

VELOX  PRINTS. 

Rub  the  surface  of  the  dry  print  with  a  tuft  of  cotton  wet  with  wood- 
alcohol.  Do  not  rub  hard  enough  to  break  the  surface  of  the  film  and  be 
careful  to  have  the  print  on  some  level  surface,  such  as  a  piece  of  glass. 

N.  A.  Velox  Liquid  Developer  entirely  prevents  abrasion  marks. 

After  a  careful  perusal  of  the  instructions  given  in  this  Velox  Book  you 
should  be  able  to  produce  satisfactory  results  on  any  grade  of  Velox  paper. 

CAUSES  OF  NON-SUCCESS. 

Prints  are  too  Black — Negative  too  weak  or  thin. 

Over-exposure. 

Over-development. 

Insufficient  Bromide  of  Potassium. 

Perhaps  wrong  grade  of  paper  used,  try  Regular  Velvet  Velox. 

Prints  are  too  Light,  Lack  Detail — Under-exposure. 

Negative  too  dense  for  Regular  paper. 

Use  Special  Velvet,  or  Special  Portrait  Velox. 

Grayish  Whites  Throughout  Entire  Print — Chemical  or  light  fog. 
Insufficient  Bromide  of  Potassium  in  developer. 

Old  paper. 

Grayish  Mottled  or  Granulated  Appearance  of  Edges  or  Entire 
Print — Under-exposure,  forced  development. 

Old  paper. 

Paper  kept  in  damp  place. 

Moisture. 

Chemical  fumes,  Ammonia,  etc. 

Illuminating  or  coal  gas. 

Greenish  or  Brownish  Tones  Sometimes  Mottled — Developer  too 
old  or  too  weak.  Excess  of  Bromide  of  Potassium.  Over-exposure. 

Greenish  Yellow  Tones  Noticed  When  N.  A.  Velox  Liquid 
Developer  Has  Been  Used — Under-exposure  and  forcing  ;  will  fix 
out  if  left  long  enough  in  a  fresh  acid  Hypo  bath. 

Canary  Yellow  Tones  Produced  When  N.  A.  V.  L.  D.  Has  Been 
Used — Fixes  out  entirely  in  correctly  prepared  acid  Hypo  bath. 
(See  page  104  for  formula).  The  entire  disappearance  of  this  color 
insures  correct  fixing. 


io4 


PRINTING. 


Brown  or  Red  Stains — Old  or  oxidized  developer.  (Never  use 
developer  after  it  is  much  discolored  or  muddy.)  Imperfect  fixing. 
Developer  too  warm.  Fixing  bath  lacks  sufficient  acid  and  prints 
were  not  kept  moving  to  allow  even  fixing. 

Purple  Tones  (Not  Frequent) — Velox  paper  has  been  used  as  a 
printing-out  paper.  Incomplete  fixing. 

Round  White  Spots — Air-bells  on  the  surface  of  the  paper.  To  avoid, 
develop  prints  face  up. 

Round  or  Irregular  Dark  Spots — Caused  by  air-bells  forming  on  the 
surface  of  print  when  placed  face  down  in  fixing  bath,  and  failing  to 
keep  prints  in  motion. 

White  Deposits  All  Over  Surface  of  Prints — Milky  Hypo  bath. 
If  print  is  thoroughly  washed  and  deposit  removed  before  drving,  it 
does  no  harm.  Correct  fixing  bath  by  adding  more  No.  8  Acetic  Acid. 

Picture  Good,  But  Surface  Covered  With  Black  Marks — Abrasion 
marks.  (See  page  103.  ) 

Blisters — Prints  have  been  creased  or  broken  while  washing.  Do  not 
allow  water  from  the  tap  to  fall  directly  on  the  prints.  Too  strong 
acetic  acid  used  in  Hardener.  Too  great  difference  between  tempera¬ 
ture  of  solution  and  wash-water.  Fixing  bath  lacks  sufficient  hardener. 
Never  use  a  plain  Hypo  fixing  bath  (except  for  Royal  Velox,  see  page 
104),  always  acidify  with  Velox  Liquid  Hardener. 

Blisters  Occurring  During  Re-Development — (See  page  102.) 

Freaks — Picture  develops  irregularly  and  appears  to  be  covered  with 
greasy  streaks  and  finger  marks  and  gives  the  impression  that  there 
are  spots  on  the  paper  that  have  never  been  coated.  Of  all  complaints 
received  regarding  Velox  paper,  none  are  caused  by  any  condition 
more  annoying  than  this  “freak”  trouble.  It  is  annoying  to  the 
photographer  because  he  feels  sure  the  fault  is  in  the  paper,  and 
annoying  to  us  because  we  know  that  the  fault  lies  in  incorrect  solu¬ 
tions.  We  publish  herewith  a  half-tone  of  this  curious  effect.  It  is  in 
warm  weather  when  the  humidity  is  great  that  these “  freaks  ”  most 
frequently  occur.  Undoubtedly  the  paper  absorbs  moisture  unevenly 
and  in  certain  spots  becomes  repellant  to  the  action  of  an  incorrect 
developer.  In  making  up  a  developing  solution  it  is  absolutely  essen¬ 
tial  that  pure  chemicals  be  used,  and  as  Velox  requires  a  bath  which 
contains  nearly  twice  as  much  Carbonate  of  Soda  as  Sulphite  of  Soda, 
it  is  easy  to  see  that  any  mistake  made  in  the  proportion  of  either 
chemical  would  be  apt  to  cause  trouble.  The  remedy  for  “freaks” 
is  to  throw  out  your  developer  and  mix  a  fresh  solution,  and  if  neces¬ 
sary  use  it  stronger.  (See  illustrations  page  105. ) 

Yellowish  Whites  When  Other  Than  N.  A.  Has  Been  Used — 
Stain  all  over  prints  is  result  of  under-exposure  and  forcing.  Too 
weak  developer.  Insufficient  washing  after  fixing.  Iron  in  wash-water 
— may  come  from  rust  in  water  pipes.  Sea  air  will  affect  Velox,  caus- 


PRINTING. 


105 


Developed  in  M  Q  .  half  as  strong  as  that 
advised  in  instruction  sheet. 


Developed  in  M.  Q .,  strength  as  advised 
in  instruction  sheet . 


ing  yellow  whites,  so  packages  should  not  be  left  open  and  prints 
should  be  developed  immediately  after  exposure. 

Permanency— The  permanency  of  Velox  prints  has  never  been  questioned. 
Permanency  of  any  Velox  print  depends  upon  the  thoroughness  of 
manipulation.  It  is  beyond  question  that  with  correct  developer 
freshly  prepared  and  with  thorough  fixing  and  washing,  Velox  prints 
will  be  absolutely  permanent.  Many  dealers  have  sample  prints  which 
were  sent  them  years  ago  and  have  exposed  them  continually  to  every 
conceivable  atmospheric  condition.  This  is  an  unanswerable  argument 
in  favor  of  Velox  permanency. 


AZO  PAPER. 

Azo  may  be  exposed  the  same  as  Velox. 

After  taking  prints  from  the  printing  frame,  soak  them  for  a  few 
seconds  in  clear  cold  water.  This  softens  the  paper  and  allows  the  devel¬ 
oper  to  act  freely  and  evenly  over  the  surface  of  the  print.  Place  the  print 
in  the  developer  tray  and  pour  on  the  developer.  If  it  has  been  properly 
timed  or  exposed,  it  will  develop  rapidly.  When  it  is  fully  developed,  or 
has  reached  the  required  density,  it  should  be  dipped  in  water  for  a  second, 
to  remove  the  greater  part  of  the  developer,  then  immediately  transferred  to 
the  Acid  Fixing  Bath.  It  is  necessary  at  this  stage  to  keep  the  print  mov¬ 
ing  for  a  few  seconds,  or  until  the  fixing  has  started  to  act  evenly  over 
the  surface. 


io6 


PRINTING. 


DEVELOPER. 

For  your  developer  make  up  a  stock  solution  as  follows  : 


Amidol,  -----  80  grains. 

Sulphite  Soda  (crystals),  -  -  -  -  200  grains. 

Water,  -  10  ozs. 

To  develop  take  : 

Stock  Solution,  -  -  -  -  -  iK  oz. 

Water,  .....  3  ozs. 


10  per  cent.  Solution  Bromide  of  Potassium,  3  to  5  drops. 

ANOTHER  DEVELOPER. 

The  following  formula  may  be  substituted  for  the  Amidol  formula 
recommended  above  when  desired  and  will  be  found  to  give  most  excellent 
results  : 

HYDRO-METOL  DEVELOPER. 


Water,  -  -  -  -  -  -  12  ozs. 

Metol,  -  -  -  -  -  7^  grains. 

Hydrochinon,  -  -  -  -  -  30  grains. 

Sodium  Sulphite,  crystals  pure,  -  -  218  grains. 

Sodium  Carbonate  (Crys.),  ...  163  grains. 


Dissolve  and  add  about  25  drops  of  a  solution  composed  of  Bromide  of  Potas¬ 
sium,  y2  oz.,  water,  5  ozs.  This  solution  is  to  be  used  without  diluting. 

Olive  green  tones  may  be  obtained  by  diluting  developer  with  two  or 
three  ounces  of  water  and  adding  12  to  15  drops  of  the  Bromide  of 
Potassium. 


FIXING. 

Prints  should  be  fixed  for  fifteen  minutes  in  the  following  bath  : 

HYPO  BATH. 


Hypo-sulphite  Soda,  -  -  -  -  r  oz. 

Acetic  Acid  (or  Alum  y  oz.,)  -  -  4  drops. 

Water,  ------  5  ozs. 

After  they  are  fixed  they  may  be  washed  and  dried  the  same  as  Velox. 


PRINTING. 


107 


PRINTING-OUT  PAPERS. 

Printing-out  papers  are  so  called  because,  unlike  a  negative,  the 
image  appears  without  development,  and  they  require  only  toning  and  fix¬ 
ing.  Printing-out  papers  are  simple  to  handle,  and  are  popular  with  both 
professionals  and  amateurs.  Indeed,  nearly  all  of  the  paper  used  by  pro¬ 
fessional  photographers  in  the  United  States  is  a  printing-out  paper  of  the 
brands  which  this  booklet  will  instruct  you  in  using. 

Solio  and  Kloro  are  Gelatino-Chloride  papers.  Aristo  Platino  and 
Aristo  Self-Toning  are  Collodio-Chloride.  With  the  former  the  silver- 
chloride  and  other  salts  are  held  in  position  in  gelatine,  while  with  the  latter 
they  are  held  in  position  in  collodion. 

Of  the  many  papers  offered,  one  of  the  most  desirable,  for  the  beginner 
at  any  rate,  is  a  gelatino-chloride  (chloride  of  silver  in  an  emulsion  of  gela¬ 
tine)  printing-out  paper.  In  the  printing-out  paper  the  image  ‘  ‘  prints-out 
at  once.  Before  it  is  toned  and  fixed  it  is  in  the  same  condition  as  a  proof 
received  from  the  photographer.  The  chemical  adlion  clears  the  high  lights 
and  shadows,  gives  the  proper  tone  and  “fixes”  the  print,  i.  e.,  makes  it 
permanent. 

The  process  of  toning  and  fixing  may  be  combined  in  one  bath  or  may 
be  done  separately.  For  convenience  we  recommend  the  combined  bath  to 
the  amateur,  but  care  should  be  exercised  not  to  overwork  the  bath.  This 
bath  will  continue  to  give  satisfactory  tones  long  after  the  gold  has  been 
exhausted.  This  toning  without  gold,  however,  is  not  permanent  and  no 
attempt  to  economize  by  overworking  the  toning  bath  should  be  made,  as 
disappointment  will  be  the  inevitable  result. 

THE  PAPER. 

Keep  your  paper  in  a  dry  place.  Do  not  expose  it  to  moisture  or  the 
fumes  of  coal  gas,  it  being  very  sensitive  to  either. 

UNTONED  PRINTS. 

When  you  have  taken  the  print  from  the  printing  frame  it  is  still  sen¬ 
sitive,  containing,  as  it  does,  most  of  the  original  silver  chloride,  and  should 
you  expose  it  to  the  light  it  would  soon  blacken  all  over.  Keep  your 
prints,  after  removing  from  the  printing  frame,  in  a  dark  box  until  you  are 
ready  to  tone.  Handle  as  little  as  possible  and  do  not  allow  the  fingers  to 
come  in  contact  with  the  surface  of  the  paper. 


(S) 


io8 


PRINTING. 


METHOD  OF  PRINTING. 


The  Printing  Frame. 


Open  the  printing  frame  and  lay  the  negative 
back  down  upon  the  glass*  (the  back  is  the  shiny 
side).  Place  upon  this  a  piece  of  Solio  paper,  face 
down.  Replace  the  back  of  the  frame  and  secure 
the  springs.  The  back  is  hinged  to  permit  of 
uncovering  part  of  the  print  at  a  time  to  inspect  it 
without  destroying  its  register  with  the  negative. 

The  operation  of  putting  in  the  sensitive  paper  must  be  performed  in  a  sub¬ 
dued  light,  that  is  to  say,  in  an  ordinary  room,  as  far  as  possible  from  any 
window.  The  paper  not  used  must  be  kept  covered  in  its  envelope. 

The  printing  frame,  when  filled  as  directed,  is  to  be  laid  glass  side  up 
in  the  strongest  light  possible  (sunlight  preferred)  until  the  light,  passing 
through  the  negative  into  the  sensitive  paper,  has  impressed  the  image 
sufficiently  upon  it.  The  progress  of  the  printing  can  be  examined  from 
time  to  time  by  removing  the  frame  from  the  strong  light  and  opening  one- 
half  of  the  hinged  back,  keeping  the  other  half  fastened  to  hold  the  paper 
from  shifting.  The  printing  should  be  continued  until  the  print  is  a  little 
darker  tint  than  the  finished  print  should  be. 

As  soon  as  the  print  is  finished  place  it  in  a  drawer  or  box  where  it  will 
be  protected  from  the  light  until  your  batch  of  prints  is  ready  for  toning. 


HOW  DEEP  TO  PRINT. 

For  the  combined  bath  the  printing  should  be  carried  about  two  shades 
deeper  than  you  desire  the  finished  prints  to  be  as  they  will  lose  considerable 
in  toning  and  fixing.  For  the  separate  bath  about  one  shade  deeper. 

Prints  will  keep  three  or  four  days  before  toning,  providing  they  are 
stored  in  a  dark  box. 


TONING  WITH  THE  COMBINED  BATH. 

For  one  just  starting  to  tone  prints,  we  would  recommend  the  combined 
bath.  This  will  be  by  far  the  most  simple  in  manipulation  (the  toning  and 
fixing  being  done  in  one  bath)  and  with  proper  attention  to  the  instructions 
you  should  be  able  to  secure  prints  of  a  soft,  rich  tone,  ranging  in  color 
from  a  warm  Sepia  to  a  dark  purple.  Solio  Combined  Toning  and  Fixing 
Solution  may  be  had  of  any  Kodak  dealer. 


*When  printing  from  glass  plate  negatives  no  glass  is  needed  in  the  printing  frame,  the  plate  itself 
fitting  into  rabbet  of  frame. 


PRINTING. 


109 


Place  prints  without  previous  washing  in  the  following  combined  toning 
and  fixing  bath. 

2  ozs.  Solio  Toning  Solution. 

4  ozs.  cold  water. 

Pour  the  toning  solution  into  a  suitable  tray  and  immerse  the  prints 
one  after  the  other.  Five  or  six  prints  can  be  toned  together  if  they  are 
kept  in  motion  and  not  allowed  to  lie  in  contact.  Turn  the  prints  all  face 
down  and  then  face  up  and  repeat  this  all  the  time  they  are  toning.  The 
prints  will  begin  to  change  color  almost  immediately  from  reddish  brown  to 
reddish  yellow,  then  to  brown  and  finally  to  purple.  The  change  will  be 
gradual  from  one  shade  to  another  and  the  toning  should  be  stopped  when 
the  print  gets  the  shade  desired. 

Six  ounces  of  the  diluted  toning  solution  will  tone  two  dozen  4x5 
prints  ;  after  that  a  new  solution  should  be  made  same  as  before. 

When  the  proper  shade  has  been  attained  in  toning  bath  the  prints 
should  be  transferred  for  five  minutes  to  the  following  salt  solution  to  stop 
the  toning : 

Salt,  -  -  -  -  -  -  1  oz. 

Water,  ------  32  ozs. 

Then  transfer  the  prints  to  the  washing  tray  and  wash  one  hour  in 
running  water,  or  in  sixteen  changes  of  water. 

The  prints  are  then  ready  for  mounting  or  they  can  be  laid  out  and 
dried  between  blotting  papers. 

If  desired  the  amateur  can  mix  his  own  toning  bath,  but  in  so  doing 
should  exercise  great  care  in  getting  pure  chemicals  and  using  exactly  the 


proper  proportions. 

STOCK  SOLUTION. 

A  Hypo-sulphite  of  Soda,  8  ozs. 

Alum  (crystals, )  -----  6  ozs. 

Sugar  (granulated),  2  ozs. 

Water,  -  -  -  -  -  -  80  ozs. 

Dissolve  above  in  cold  water,  and 

When  dissolved  add  Borax,  -  -  -  2  ozs. 

Dissolve  in  hot  water,  -  -  -  -  S  ozs. 

Let  stand  over  night  and  decant  clear  liquid. 


STOCK  SOLUTION. 

B  Pure  Chloride  of  Gold,  -  -  -  7 yi  grains.* 

Acetate  of  Lead  (Sugar  of  Lead),  -  -  64  grains. 

Water,  -----  s  ozs. 

Solution  B  should  be  shaken  up  before  using  and  not  filtered. 


*Or  double  the  quantity  of  chloride  of  gold  and  sodium. 


no 


PRINTING. 


To  tone  fifteen  4x5  prints  take  : 

Stock  Solution  A,  8  ozs. 

Stock  Solution  B,  -  -  -  1  oz. 

Place  prints  without  previous  washing  into  the  above. 

Tone  to  desired  color  and  immerse  prints  for  15  minutes  in  following 
Salt  Solution  to  stop  the  toning  : 

Salt,  ------  1  oz. 

Water,  ------  32  ozs. 

The  extra  fixing  bath  should  be  used  to  ensure  thorough  fixing. 

After  the  salt  bath,  give  one  change  of  cold  water  and  fix  for  10 
minutes  in  the 

EXTRA  FIXING  BATH. 

Hypo-sulphite  of  Soda,  -  -  -  -  1  oz. 

Sulphite  of  Soda  (crystals),  -  -  -  60  grains. 

Borax,  -  -  -  -  -  X  oz. 

Water,  ------  20  ozs. 

Wash  one  hour  in  running  cold  water  or  in  sixteen  changes  of  cold 
water,  when  prints  may  be  mounted. 

The  combined  bath  must  be  started  cold,  not  above  50°  Fahr. ,  and 
must  not  be  allowed  to  rise  to  temperature  above  6o°  Fahr.  This  condition 
can  be  obtained  by  placing  a  piece  of  ice  in  the  bath  when  toning.  If  the 
bath  is  too  warm,  you  will  get  yellow  prints  with  a  greenish  cast  in  the 
half  -tones. 

Use  a  thermometer  and  keep  it  in  toning  bath  all  the  time. 

The  combined  bath  is  an  acid  solution.  The  borax  neutralizes  only 
the  excess  of  acid  in  the  alum .  Any  attempt  to  neutralize  the  bath  will 
precipitate  the  alum. 

The  combined  bath  should  not  be  used  a  second  time. 

If  troubled  with  white  spots  or  blotches  on  prints,  clean  trays  with 
nitric  acid  or  sulphuric  acid  and  water. 

TONING  WITH  THE  SEPARATE  BATH. 

WASHING  THE  PRINTS. 

After  taking  the  prints  from  the  print  frame,  immerse  them  one  at  a 
time  in  a  tray  of  running  water.  (When  washing  and  toning  prints  use 
trays  that  have  never  come  in  contact  with  Hypo,  as  the  least  trace  of  that 
chemical  will  cause  dark  brown  stains  that  cannot  be  gotten  rid  of. )  Keep 
them  moving  so  that  all  shall  receive  an  equal  amount  of  washing. 

When  you  place  a  print  in  the  water  the  soluble  silver,  or  that  portion 
not  used  to  form  the  image,  dissolves  and  is  washed  out ;  this  forms  with 


PRINTING. 


hi 


other  substances  in  the  water  a  new  combination  which  can  easily  be 
detected  by  its  white,  milky  appearance.  Prints  to  be  properly  washed 
should  remain  in  the  running  water  until  this  has  entirely  disappeared. 
Should  you  not  have  running  water,  they  can  be  washed  by  using  two  trays 
and  transferring  the  prints  (one  at  a  time)  from  one  to  the  other,  changing 
the  water  each  time. 

This  should  be  done  quickly  at  first  but  after  you  have  washed  out 
most  of  the  free  silver,  the  changes  may  be  made  five  minutes  apart.  The 
temperature  of  the  water  should  be  as  near  6o°  Fahr.  as  possible. 

THE  TONING  BATH. 

Tone  in  a  plain  gold  bath,  using  about  i  gr.  of  gold  to  48  ozs.  of 
water.  Neutralize  by  adding  a  saturated  solution  of  borax,  bi-carbonate  of 
soda  or  sal  soda. 

This  should  be  made  up  at  least  one-half  hour  before  using ;  this  gives 
the  chemicals  a  chance  to  harmonize.  When  making  the  toning  bath,  first 
measure  the  water  and  pour  into  the  tray  or  dish  you  are  to  use,  then  add 
the  gold.  Now  take  a  piece  of  red  Litmus  paper  (this  is  very  sensitive  to 
acid  or  alkali)  and  place  in  the  solution.  Then  add  the  borax  solution  drop 
by  drop  (this  is  a  strong  alkali  and  should  be  kept  in  a  bottle,  the  cork  of 
which  has  a  small  slit  in  it  allowing  the  solution  to  drop,  not  run  out)  just 
enough  to  turn  the  Litmus  paper  blue  in  five  minutes.  This  will  make  the 
bath  almost  neutral,  i.  e.,  slightly  alkaline.  The  bath  is  now  ready  for  use. 
Should  the  prints  tone  fast  in  the  high  lights,  or  light  parts  of  the  prints, 
leaving  the  shadows,  or  dark  parts,  very  red,  and  when  finished  have  a 
muddy  (not  clear)  appearance,  that  indicates  that  you  have  used  too  much 
borax  or  alkali.  On  the  other  hand,  had  the  Litmus  paper  remained  its 
original  color  (red)  that  would  indicate  that  the  bath  was  acid  and  that  you 
had  not  used  sufficient  alkali.  With  the  bath  in  that  condition  your  prints 
would  not  tone  but  bleach,  lose  their  brilliancy  and  become  flat. 

When  toned,  immerse  prints  in  running  water  where  they  may  remain 
until  all  are  ready  for  the  fixing. 

If  running  water  cannot  be  had  put  prints  into 

SHORT  STOP: 

Salt,  ------  1  oz. 

Water,  ------  1  gal. 

If  there  is  a  large  batch  of  prints  to  be  toned  do  not  allow  prints  to  lie 
in  short  stop  solution,  but  put  them  into  a  tray  containing  clear  water  where 
they  may  remain  until  all  are  ready  for  the  fixing. 


112 


PRINTING. 


FIXING  BATHS. 


Fix  twenty  minutes  in 

Water,  -  -  -  -  -  -  i  gal. 

Hypo,  .....  13  ozs. 

Solio  Hardener,  -  -  -  -  -  yi.  oz. 

To  mix  with  Hydrometer,  take  water  1  gal.,  add  sufficient  Hypo  to 
test  25  gr.  to  the  oz.  and  add  y2  oz.  of  Solio  Hardener. 

On  account  of  its  simplicity  and  cheapness,  we  advise  the  Solio  Hard¬ 
ener  Fixing  Bath,  but  give  the  alum  fixing  bath  for  the  benefit  of  those 
who  prefer  it. 


ALUM  FIXING  BATH: 


Hypo-sulphite  of  Soda,  6  ozs. 

Alum  (Crystals),  ....  2yz  ozs. 

Sulphite  of  Soda  (Crystals),  -  -  -  oz. 

Water,  ------  70  ozs. 


When  dissolved  add  %  oz.  of  borax  dissolved  in  10  ozs.  hot  water, 

This  fixing  bath  must  be  made  about  10  hours  before  use.  As  it  keeps 
indefinitely  before  use  it  may  be  made  up  in  large  quantities. 

After  fixing  in  one  of  the  foregoing  baths,  wash  1  hour  in  running  cold 
water  or  in  16  changes  of  cold  water,  keeping  prints  separated  so  the  water 
may  have  a  chance  to  eliminate  the  chemicals. 

DETAILS. 

The  toning  bath  should  tone  in  6  or  7  minutes. 

Tone  by  transmitted  light  for  the  high  lights  and  half  tones  only,  pay¬ 
ing  no  attention  whatever  to  the  shadows. 

We  recommend  a  neutral  bath  and  advise  the  use  of  Squibb’ s  red 
litmus  to  test  with. 

If  the  bath  tones  uneven  or  streaky,  add  water  until  it  tones  in  8  or  10 
minutes,  and  make  it  slightly  alkaline. 

One  gallon  of  fixing  bath  is  sufficient  for  one  gross  4x5  size  Solio  or 
its  equivalent. 

Prints  allowed  to  stand  over  night  in  water  are  liable  to  turn  yellow  ; 
they  should  therefore  be  mounted  as  soon  as  washed. 

To  make  Solio  Hardener  : 

Chloride  of  Aluminum,  3  ozs. 

Bi-Sulphite  of  Soda,  ...  -  2 y2  ozs. 

Cold  Water,  -  -  -  -  -  12  ozs. 

Put  both  chemicals  in  the  water  and  shake  until  dissolved. 


PRINTING. 


113 


GLOSSY  PRINTS. 

Few  amateurs  care  to  go  to  the  expense  or  trouble  of  burnishing  their 
own  prints,  but  they  can  readily  obtain  a  beautiful  glac6  finish  in  a  simple 
manner  by  drying  prints  on  ferrotype  plate  in  the  following  manner: 

1.  Clean  the  ferrotype  plate  with  hot  water  each  time  it  is  used. 
Polish  with  a  soft  cloth  until  plate  is  absolutely  free  from  dirt  or  specks  of 
any  description.  Swab  with  a  tuft  of  soft  cloth  or  cotton  batting,  wet  with 
a  solution  composed  of  benzine  1  oz.,  paraffine  10  grs.  Rub  dry  with  a 
clean  cloth,  and  polish  with  a  chamois  skin  or  very  soft  cloth.  Use  a  soft 
brush  to  remove  particles  of  dust  from  plate. 

2.  Lay  the  wet  print  on  the  ferrotype  plate.  It  must  be  in  perfe<5t 
conta6I  to  produce  a  uniform  glossy  surface.  This  contact  is  better  secured 
by  avoiding  air  bells  in  laying  the  print  down  than  by  endeavoring  to  expel 
them  by  heavy  pressure — light  rolling  with  a  print  roller  (with  cloth 
between)  is  all  that  is  required — heavy  pressure  being  liable  to  make  prints 
stick  in  spots. 

3.  When  surface  is  dry  brush  over  the  back  of  the  print  (while  still 
on  the  plate)  with  a  thin  solution  of  white  glue. 

4.  When  “  bone”  dry  strip  the  print  from  the  plate  and  lay  the  print 
on  a  mount,  the  face  of  which  has  been  well  moistened  with  a  wet  sponge. 

5.  Rub  down  with  a  dry  blotter,  then  dry  face  up,  free  from  dust. 

6.  The  latest  and  best  method  of  mounting  with  Kodak  Dry  Mount¬ 
ing  Tissue  is  described  on  page  141. 

Note.— Prints  finished  by  the  above  process  can  be  kept  very  nicely  unmounted  if  so  desired,  the 
glue  on  the  backs  preventing  curling. 


PRINTING. 


1 14 


PRINTING  ON  MATTE  COLLODION  PAPER. 


AMERICAN  ARISTO. 

PRINTING. 

Print  deep  or  until  the  high  lights  are  well  tinted.  Pay  no  attention 
to  the  shadows  no  matter  how  much  they  bronze.  That  will  tone  out. 

Note. — Thin  negatives  should  be  printed  in  the  shade,  while  those  that  are  dense  and  have  much 
contrast  can  be  printed  in  the  sun. 

WASHING. 

Place  prints  in  the  water,  one  at  a  time,  face  down,  pressing  each  print 
to  the  bottom  of  the  tray  ;  not  in  a  pile,  but  in  an  irregular  manner,  partly 
covering  one  another.  This  will  stop  all  tendency  of  the  paper  to  curl. 

Should  you  use  running  water,  prints  should  be  handled  over  con¬ 
tinually.  If  prints  are  to  be  washed  by  hand  they  should  go  through  six 
changes  of  clear  water,  taking'  about  five  minutes  for  each  change.  During 
that  time  prints  must  be  handled  same  as  in  running  water.  To  tone 
properly  they  must  be  washed  thoroughly.  The  best  results  are  obtained 
when  water  is  from  65°  to  750  Fahr. 

TONING. 

The  toning  of  matte  collodion  paper  is  usually  accomplished  by  the  aid 
of  two  separate  baths,  the  gold  and  platinum;  but  should  one  prefer  a  single 
bath,  producing  similar  results,  we  recommend  the  “Aristo  Single  Toner,” 
a  toning  agent  combining  in  one  the  action  of  both  the  gold  and  platinum. 

A  print  very  slightly  toned  in  the  gold  bath  and  toned  long  in  the 
platinum  bath  takes  a  greenish  or  olive  black  tone,  while  a  print  toned  to  a 
purple  in  the  gold  bath  and  slightly  toned  in  the  platinum  will  give  a 
pure  black. 

Prints  require  a  thorough  washing  when  coming  from  the  gold  bath, 
as  gold  precipitates  platinum,  and  unless  all  the  free  gold  is  washed  from 
the  prints,  the  platinum  will  be  precipitated  to  the  bottom  of  the  tray  and 
not  on  the  prints. 

GOLD  BATH. 

Chloride  of  Gold  and  Sodium,  -  -  -  ■(  gr. 

Water,  ------  8  ozs. 

Add  borax  to  make  bath  slightly  alkaline.  Test  with  red  litmus  paper. 
When  bath  is  sufficiently  alkaline  the  litmus  paper  will  hum  blue  slowly. 

Tone  until  purple,  then  wash  in  3  changes  cold  water. 


PRINTING. 


H5 


PLATINUM  SOLUTION. 

Make  up  solution  consisting  of 

Platino-Potassium,  -  -  -  -  15  grs. 

Phosphoric  Acid,  U.  S.  P.,  -  -  -  -  1  {  oz, 

Water,  . 

PLATINUM  BATH. 

To  tone,  take 

Platinum  Solution,  - 

Water,  - 

Tone  until  proper  shade  is  reached. 

Wash  in  4  changes  and  immerse  ten  minutes  in 

FIXING  BATH. 

Saturated  Solution  Hypo-sulphite  Soda,  -  y,  oz. 

Water,  -  -  -  -  -  8  ozs. 

Wash  1 14  hours  in  running  water  or  in  iS  changes  of  water,  not  less 
than  five  minutes  in  each  change. 

Note.— Do  not  use  the  same  trav  for  both  gold  and  platinum  baths  Have  one  for  each. 

Prints  must  be  thoroughly  washed  after  coming  from  platinum  bath  and  before  fixing.  Platinum  is 
very  acid,  and  it  is  necessary  to  entirely  eliminate  this  from  the  prints,  otherwise  you  carry  it  into  the 
Hypo  bath,  producing  sulphurization  and  yellow  spots. 

WASHING  AFTER  FIXING. 

Prints  are  better  if  washed  by  hand  through  ten  or  twelve  changes  of 
water,  about  five  minutes  for  each  change.  Handle  the  prints  well  during 
that  time.  Do  not  let  them  mat  together.  When  prints  are  washed  they 
are  ready  to  mount. 


Yz  dram. 
8  ozs. 


ARISTO  SELF-TONING  PAPER. 

This  paper  is  a  glossy  collodion  paper,  and  as  its  name  implies,  requires 
no  toning  or  developing  solutions,  all  chemicals  required  being  embodied  in 
the  sensitive  emulsion  with  which  the  paper  is  coated. 

PRINTING. 

Print  a  very  little  darker  than  you  wish  the  finished  print  to  be. 

WASHING. 

After  printing,  place  prints  one  at  a  time,  face  down,  in  the  following  bath : 
Table  salt,  oz. 

Water,  -  -  -  -  -  -  32  ozs. 

The  above  is  for  a  small  number  of  prints.  For  a  gross  of  cabinet  size 


ii6 


PRINTING. 


paper  you  would  require  one  gallon  (128  ounces)  of  solution.  Allow  prints 
to  remain  in  this  bath  about  five  minutes  or  until  the  desired  tone  is 
obtained.  See  that  prints  are  well  separated  by  handling  them  over  four 
or  five  times  and  flatten  them  each  time  by  pressing  them  to  the  bottom  of 
the  tray.  As  prints  are  toned  transfer  them  to  a  tray  of  clear  water. 
When  all  are  toned  place  them  in  a  solution  of  carbonate  of  soda,  ^  dram 
of  carbonate  of  soda  to  32  ounces  of  water.  This  will  prevent  bleaching 
and  will  also  neutralize  the  prints.  Handle  them  over  for  about  five 
minutes  in  this  bath  ;  they  are  then  ready  for  the  Hypo  or  fixing  bath. 

Fix  and  wash  same  as  for  American  Aristo,  page  115. 


PRINTING. 


117 


WATER  DEVELOPMENT  PAPERS. 


W.  D.  PLATINUM. 

Every  amateur  who  has  limited  facilities  and  time  will  especially 
appreciate  a  paper  which  requires  nothing  but  water  and  acid  for  the  entire 
process  of  developing  and  clearing.  In  W.  D.  (water  development) 
Platinum  one  has  a  paper  giving  pure  platinum  tones  and  producing  effedls 
equal  to  any  photographic  process. 

PRINTING. 

Place  paper  face  to  face  with  negative  (the  face  of  paper  is  the  yellow 
side)  and  print  in  sunlight  until  shadows  are  a  deep  canary  color,  and  the 
high  lights  are  slightly  visible.  In  watching  the  progress  of  printing,  care 
should  be  taken  not  to  expose  to  strong  light,  as  this  paper  is  very  rapid, 
and  there  is  danger  of  fogging  high  lights  unless  due  caution  is  observed. 

DEVELOPING. 

When  printed  to  proper  depth,  immerse  print  in  hot  water  (no 
degrees  Fahr. )  face  up,  sliding  it  in  edgewise  to  avoid  air  bells.  Develop¬ 
ment  will  require  but  a  few  seconds,  after  which  the  print  is  to  be  plunged 
into  the 

CLEARING  BATH. 

Cold  Water,  -----  15  ozs. 

Muriatic  Acid,  c.  p.,  -  -  -  -  %  oz 

Soak  print  face  down  for  five  minutes  each  in  two  changes  of  clearing 
bath.  Wash  for  fifteen  minutes  in  running  water  or  five  changes  of  clear 
water,  five  minutes  in  each  change. 

Paper  should  be  developed  as  soon  as  possible  after  printing,  never 
later  than  the  same  day. 


THE  NEGATIVE. 

The  foregoing  directions  apply  where  print  is  made  from  negatives  of 
normal  density.  If  an  under-timed  or  weak  negative  is  to  be  printed  from, 
strength  can  be  gained  by  printing  under  blue  glass. 

The  best  results  are  obtained  by  the  use  of  perfe&ly  timed  and  fully 
developed,  but  not  “harsh”  negatives. 


PRINTING. 


118 


KEEP  THE  PAPER  DRY. 

Note  — To  prevent  injury  from  moisture,  Eastman’s  Water  Development  Platinum  Paper  is  packed 
in  air-tight  tubes,  each  tube  containing  a  lump  of  preserative. 

When  printing,  remove  only  as  much  paper  as  is  to  be  immediately 
used,  keeping  the  balance  of  paper  in  the  tube  with  the  preservative,  tightly 
closing  tube  with  sealing  tape.  During  hot  weather,  keep  the  paper  (in 
the  sealed  tube)  in  an  ice  box. 

Always  keep  the  paper  in  a  cool,  dry  place. 

Keep  the  printing  frame  pads  dry. 

On  days  when  the  atmosphere  is  over-charged  with  moisture,  especially 
in  summer,  this  paper  will  print  out  very  rapidly  in  the  shadows;  printing 
should,  nevertheless,  be  continued  until  outlines  begin  to  appear  in  the 
high  lights. 

HINTS. 

A  novel  but  good  method  of  development  is  to  hold  print  over  steam¬ 
ing  water  until  development  is  nearly  completed,  and  then  immerse  for  a 
few  seconds  in  hot  water.  This  method  gives  particularly  rich,  brilliant 
prints. 

Do  not  use  what  is  known  as  “  Commercial  Muriatic  Acid.”  The  acid 
must  be  chemically  pure,  and  should  be  colorless. 

Use  a  fresh  acid  bath  for  each  batch  of  prints. 

Weak  prints  are  caused  by  too  cold  developer,  weak  negatives  or 
damp  paper. 

Dry  by  removing  surface  water  and  laying  prints  between  blotters. 

Mount  in  usual  manner  with  any  good  starch  paste  and  bring  into 
contact  with  print  roller. 

FERRO-PRUSSIATE  OR  BLUE  PAPER. 

For  certain  subjects  the  “  Blue  Print”  will  give  much  satisfadlion  ;  for 
instance,  negatives  in  which  clouds  predominate,  certain  classes  of  interiors, 
winter  scenes,  etc.  With  negatives  of  this  description  the  finished  prints 
will  present  a  richness  of  effedl  seldom  equaled.  Apart  from  those  qualities 
it  possesses  abundant  capacity  for  giving  detail  and  a  wide  range  of  tone, 
from  light  to  dark.  It  is  also  a  ready  means  for  making  finished  proofs 
when  one’s  time  is  limited. 

PRINTING. 

Print  until  the  shadows  commence  to  bronze,  a  condition  which  will 
be  readily  observed  after  a  few  trials.  After  printing,  immerse  in  a  tray  of 
clean  water.  Change  the  water  every  five  minutes  for  half  an  hour  or  until 


PRINTING. 


119 


the  whites  are  clear.  The  prints  can  then  be  dried  between  blotters. 
When  dry  they  will  have  obtained  much  brilliancy. 

When  washing  prints,  should  they  appear  light  or  wash  off  the  paper, 
it  is  the  sign  of  under  exposure. 

Over  printing  should  be  avoided  as  it  has  a  tendency  to  flatness  and 
loss  of  detail. 


EASTMAN’S  SEPIA  PAPER. 

The  rich,  soft  sepia  tones  obtained  on  this  paper,  together  with  the 
simple  process  necessary  for  development  make  it  one  of  the  most  pleasing 
of  “water  developing”  papers  to  handle. 

For  negatives  containing  bold,  sketchy  effedts,  and  those  having  a 
tendency  to  harshness,  it  is  particularly  adapted. 

PRINTING. 

This  paper  is  about  three  times  as  rapid  as  blue  paper,  and  should  be 
under  rather  than  over  printed.  This  can  easily  be  determined  after  one  or 
two  trials. 

DEVELOPMENT. 

Prints  should  be  thoroughly  washed  in  six  changes  of  water  and  then 
fixed  for  five  minutes  in  a  very  weak  solution  of  Hyposulphite  of  Soda. 

Hypo,  .....  5  grains. 

Water,  -  -  -  -  -  -10  ounces. 

Note. — Short  fixing  gives  red  tones.  Longer  fixing  produces  a  brown  tone. 

After  fixing,  prints  should  be  washed  thoroughly.  Dry  by  removing 
surface  water  and  laying  prints  between  blotters. 

To  secure  brilliant  prints,  paper  should  be  washed  immediately  after 
printing. 

This  paper  is  put  up  in  tubes  and  should  be  kept  in  a  cool,  dry  place, 
as  it  is  liable  to  deteriorate  upon  contadt  with  moisture.  Keep  tubes  sealed. 

SPOTTING  PRINTS. 

Small  spots  showing  white  on  the  prints  can  be  filled  in  or  “spotted” 
with  equal  parts  of  Indian  red  or  India  ink  mixed  with  a  little  water  and 
applied  with  a  small  camel’s  hair  brush,  or  one  can  use  the  ready  prepared 
“  Aristo  Spotting  Colors.” 


Platinum  Papers. 


The  simplicity  of  platinum  printing  will  prove  a  revelation  to  the 
amateur  photographer  who  imagines  that  the  process  must  be  difficult 
because  so  much  employed  by  advanced  workers.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
platinum  printing  presents  no  more  difficulties  than  the  ordinary  blue  print 
process  so  familiar  to  the  novice. 

With  the  exception  of  carbon,  where  any  colored  pigment  may  be 
used,  no  printing  process  affords  so  wide  a  range  in  tone  value,  from  a  pure 
velvety  black  down  through  all  the  intervening  tones  to  a  shade  scarcely 
darker  than  the  pure  white  of  the  paper  support.  It  is  this  ability  to 
preserve  the  most  delicate  half  tones  that  affords  the  charming  atmospheric 
effect  so  evident  in  all  good  platinum  prints. 

Platinum  prints  are  absolutely  permanent,  consisting  of  a  deposit  of 
metallic  platinum  on  a  pure  paper  support,  and  a  properly  manipulated 
print  will  retain  its  quality  so  long  as  the  paper  support  itself  exists. 

Platinum  paper  does  not  demand  a  negative  of  special  qualities,  a 
negative  that  will  yield  a  good  print  on  any  paper  will  answer  equally  well 
for  platinum. 

The  fact  that  platinum  paper  is  a  semi-developing  out  paper,  and  that 
the  image  is  only  partially  visible  when  printing  is  complete,  has  lead  many 
to  believe  that  much  experience  is  necessary  to  judge  of  the  proper  printing 
depth.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  a  few  trial  exposures  with  negatives  of  varying 
density  will  afford  all  the  experience  necessary  and  the  making  of  prints  of 
proper  and  uniform  quality  becomes  a  simple  matter. 

All  platinum  papers  are  exceedingly  sensitive  to  dampness  and  for  this 
reason  are  packed  by  the  manufacturers  in  sealed  cans  or  tubes,  each 
package  containing  a  small  piece  of  asbestos  saturated  with  calcium  chloride 
to  absorb  any  moisture  in  the  tube. 

Platinum  paper  will  keep  for  months  in  a  cool  dry  place,  and  in  warm 
climates,  if  not  for  immediate  use,  is  best  kept  in  a  refrigerator. 

As  platinum  paper  is  capable  of  rendering  the  slightest  half  tone  it  is 
naturally  quite  sensitive  to  light,  much  more  so  than  the  gelatine  and 
collodion  printing  out  papers,  and  should  be  handled  in  a  subdued  light, 
not  out  of  doors  or  close  to  a  window. 

When  printing,  remove  only  sufficient  paper  from  the  tube  to  fill  the 
frames  in  immediate  use,  packing  away  the  remainder  as  received  and 
placing  the  cover  on  the  can  or  tube. 


PL  A  TINUM  PRINTING. 


121 


In  printing,  the  paper  is  placed  in  contact  with  the  negative  in  the 
printing  frame  in  the  ordinary  manner  and  exposed  to  daylight,  direct  sun¬ 
light  will  do  no  harm  and  is  preferred  to  shade  printing  by  many  prominent 
workers. 

The  back  of  the  frame  may  be  opened  to  note  the  progress  of  printing, 
but  in  so  doing  turn  your  back  to  the  window  to  avoid  sunning  the  print. 

Moisture  must  be  guarded  against  as  it  is  the  greatest  enemy  of  plati¬ 
num  paper,  and  to  secure  clear  brilliant  prints,  the  paper,  printing  frame 
and  negatives  must  be  absolutely  dry. 

In  taking  up  platinum  printing,  follow  the  manufacturer’s  instructions 
exactly. 

When  the  manipulation  has  been  fully  mastered,  certain  modifications 
will  suggest  themselves  for  special  purposes. 

The  temperature  of  the  developing  bath  has  a  decided  influence  on 
both  the  tonality  and  the  color  of  the  image. 

Generally  speaking,  the  colder  the  bath,  the  colder  the  image,  and  the 
warmer  the  bath,  the  warmer  the  image,  all  this  of  course,  within  reasonable 
limits  as  a  bath  exceedingly  cold  or  hot  will  be  apt  to  produce  mealy  flat 
prints. 

Damp  paper  will  yield  a  print  of  a  brownish  black  color,  with  a 
tendency  to  mealiness. 

Platinum  prints  may  be  toned  in  various  ways. 

The  most  common  is  the  “  Uranium  ”  which  changes  the  color  to  a 
rich-brown  or  red-brown.  The  ordinary  uranium  intensifier  may  be  used 
for  this  purpose,  the  print  simply  being  immersed  in  it  for  a  time. 

An  excellent  method  for  uranium  toning  is  given  by  A.  Horsley  Hinton: 

SOLUTION  1. 


Uranium  Nitrate,  -  -  - 

Glacial  Acetic  Acid,  - 
Water,  - 

- 

48  grains. 
48  minims. 
1  oz. 

SOLUTION 

2. 

Potassium  Ferricyanide, 

Water,  - 

. 

48  grains, 
x  oz. 

SOLUTION 

3. 

Ammonium  Sulphocyanide, 

Water,  .... 

- 

'A  oz. 
I  oz. 

For  use  take  oz.  of  each,  Nos.  i,  2  and  3,  and  25  ounces  water. 

A  finished  unmounted  platinotype  print,  thoroughly  cleared  from  all 
iron  salts,  is  placed  in  a  flat  dish  and  flooded  with  the  above  solution  and 
the  dish  rocked  continuously. 

The  color  of  the  print  will  gradually  change,  the  toning  should  be 


122 


PL  A  TINUM  PRINTING. 


carried  on  a  little  further  than  when  the  desired  tint  has  been  reached,  as 
the  picture  will  dry  out  a  little  colder  in  color  than  it  appears  in  the  toning 
bath.  It  is  now  brought  into  a  dish  of  water  containing  a  few  drops  of 
glacial  acetic  acid.  The  water  must  not  be  alkaline,  as  it  would  dissolve 
the  uranium  compounds  deposited  on  the  print  and  thus  change  its  color 
again.  This  property  of  alkaline  water  may  be  made  use  of  in  case  the 
desired  color  of  the  toned  print  is  unsatisfactory,  and  one  wishes  to  get  it 
back  into  its  original  condition. 

It  has,  as  yet,  not  been  conclusively  proven  that  platinum  prints  treated 
with  uranium  are  permanent. 

It  is  possible  to  control  this  image  during  development  and  to  make 
various  changes  in  the  various  tones  of  the  picture. 

This  can  be  accomplished  by  using  the  glycerine  method,  referred  to 
in  the  platinotype  instructions. 

It  consists  essentially  of  painting  the  image  by  means  of  the  oxalate 
solution,  using  a  brush  for  the  purpose,  the  paper  having  first  been  exposed 
to  light  under  the  negative  in  the  ordinary  way. 

The  method  is  so  full  of  latitude,  that  prints  have  been  produced  by  its 
means  that  look  like  fine  wash  drawings. 

In  short,  it  will  be  seen  by  the  various  matters  referred  to  in  this  short 
resume  of  the  platinotype  process,  that  it  is  beyond  doubt  the  printing 
method  t>ar  excellence  for  the  amateur. 


AMERICAN  PLATINUM  PAPER. 

In  the  production  of  the  American  Platinum  Paper  two  very  serious 
defects  in  the  platinum  paper  heretofore  manufactured  have  been  overcome. 
First,  solarizing  in  shadows;  second,  the  fuzzing  or  abrading  of  surface  by 
handling.  The  manipulation  of  this  paper  is  very  simple,  and  with  a  reason¬ 
able  amount  of  care  there  should  be  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  good  results. 
The  instructions,  although  simple,  must  be  followed  in  every  detail  if  the 
best  results  are  desired.  This  paper  will  keep  in  good  condition  for  a  long 
time  if  not  exposed  to  heat  or  dampness.  The  unprinted  paper  should  be 
stored  in  a  cool,  dry  place.  When  paper  is  removed  from  the  tube  see  that 
the  sheets  not  intended  for  immediate  use  are  returned  to  the  tube  with  the 
package  of  preservative,  and  the  tube  carefully  sealed  with  the  tape.  If  the 
tube  is  allowed  to  remain  open,  or  the  paper  removed  from  the  tube  several 
hours  before  using,  the  effect  of  damnpess  will  be  noticed  in  the  lack  of 
strength  and  brilliancy  in  the  prints.  Dampness  will  also  cause  high  lights 
to  develop  gray  instead  of  pure  white. 


PL  A  TINUM  PRINTING. 


123 


PRINTING. 

Although  not  absolutely  necessary,  it  is  advisable  to  use  thin  rubber 
pads  in  the  backs  of  printing  frames,  especially  in  those  sections  of  the 
country  where  the  atmosphere  is  full  of  moisture.  See  that  negatives  and 
pads  used  in  printing  frames  are  perfectly  dry,  or  the  result  will  be  the  same 
as  when  paper  is  exposed  to  dampness  before  printing.  In  handling  paper, 
care  should  be  taken  not  to  expose  it  to  strong  light  Put  paper  on  nega¬ 
tives  and  examine  prints  in  weak  daylight  or  artificial  light.  Care  should 
always  be  taken  not  to  touch  the  sensitized  surface  of  the  paper  with  the 
fingers.  This  is  very  important  where  the  hands  perspire  freely. 

Print  until  the  image  is  visible  in  all  parts,  although  weak  and  only 
faintly  outlined  in  the  stronger  portions  of  the  negative.  The  exact  depth 
of  printing  can  only  be  determined  by  a  little  experience.  When  printing 
in  bright  sunlight,  use  one  thickness  of  tissue  or  ground  glass  over  the 
negative.  Print  weak  negatives  in  the  shade  or  use  several  sheets  of  tissue 
over  the  frames. 

If  prints  are  not  to  be  developed  immediately  after  printing  place  them 
in  a  tube  with  a  package  of  preservative  and  seal  the  tube  carefully. 

DEVELOPING. 

The  developer  is  simply  neutral  oxalate  of  potash  and  water;  three 
ounces  of  neutral  oxalate  of  potash  dissolved  in  twelve  fluid  ounces  of  water. 
If  tones  more  on  the  blue-black  are  desired,  use  the  following  developer: 
Water,  ten  ounces;  oxalate  of  potash,  one  ounce;  phosphate  of  potash, 
one- half  ounce.  In  preparing  developer  containing  phosphate  of  potash, 
always  use  warm  water,  as  this  chemical  does  not  dissolve  freely  in  cold 
water.  Any  amount  of  the  developer  may  be  made  up  and  set  aside  for 
future  use,  but  should  be  kept  in  a  well-stoppered  bottle.  Use  sufficient 
developer  to  cover  the  bottom  of  the  tray  at  least  one-half  inch  deep. 
Develop  prints  face  up.  By  sliding  prints  under  developer  face  up,  air-bells 
are  avoided  and  the  development  may  be  closely  watched  from  the  start. 

Development,  as  a  rule,  only  requires  from  twenty  to  thirty  seconds, 
but  it  will  do  no  harm  to  leave  a  properly  exposed  print  in  the  developer  a 
full  minute.  Prints  from  strong  negatives  are  very  often  improved  in  the 
half  tones  by  prolonging  the  development  a  few  seconds.  Development 
should  be  carried  on  in  a  weak  light.  The  temperature  of  developer  must 
not  be  below  6o°  F.  Keep  up  strength  of  developer  by  adding  fresh  stock 
solution  from  time  to  time.  A  developer  which  has  become  overcharged 


(9) 


124 


PL  A  TINUM  PRINTING. 


with  chemicals  from  the  paper  will  produce  poor  results.  The  development 
should  therefore  be  watched  carefully  when  using  old  developer,  and  if  any 
change  is  noticed  in  the  quality  of  prints,  a  new  bath  should  be  tried. 
Weak,  granular  prints  may  result  from  the  use  of  weak  or  too  cold  developer. 
Rock  the  tray  or  stir  the  developer  between  the  development  of  prints  to 
prevent  markings  caused  by  scum,  which  forms  on  the  surface  of  the  solu¬ 
tion.  A  print  which  is  known  to  be  slightly  under-exposed  may  be  saved 
by  warming  the  developer  to  ioo°  or  iio°  F.  Developer,  which  has  been 
used  should  not  be  returned  to  the  bottle  of  stock  solution.  Have  a  sepa¬ 
rate  bottle  for  old  developer  and  do  not  allow  it  to  stand  in  a  strong  light. 
When  using  old  developer,  pour  off  the  clearing  solution  carefully,  so  as  not 
to  disturb  the  sediment  which  settles  to  the  bottom  of  bottle. 

CLEARING  BATH. 

As  soon  as  prints  are  fully  developed  they  are  placed  facedown,  directly 
into  a  clearing  bath  of  muriatic  acid  and  water;  one  ounce  of  muriatic  acid 
C.  P. ,  to  sixty  ounces  of  water.  The  quality  of  acid  used  is  of  much 
importance.  It  should  be  chemically  pure,  as  ordinary  commercial  acid 
will  cause  yellow  prints.  Prints  should  have  from  three  to  four  changes  of 
acid  clearing  bath,  allowing  them  to  remain  in  each  bath  eight  to  ten 
minutes  and  keeping  them  separated.  The  last  acid  bath  should  be  as  clear 
as  pure  water,  showing  no  yellow  tint.  This  clearing  of  prints  is  very 
important,  as  permanent  results  depend  on  removing  all  the  unacted-on 
chemicals  from  the  paper.  A  properly  treated  platinum  print  consists  of 
nothing  but  metallic  platinum  and  paper.  After  clearing,  prints  are  washed 
about  one-half  hour  in  running  water.  If  not  convenient  to  wash  prints  in 
running  water,  give  them  eight  to  ten  changes  in  a  tray,  separating  them 
well  each  change. 

ANGELO  SEPIA  PLATINUM  PAPERS. 

DIRECTIONS. 

PRINTING. 

Angelo  Sepia  Platinum  Paper,  like  all  pure  Platinum  papers,  is  a  semi- 
developing-out  paper,  the  image  being  only  partially  visible  when  printed. 
The  full  depth  and  brilliance  is  attained  by  immersion  in  the  Angelo  Sepia 
Developing  Solution.  Place  paper  in  printing  frame  with  the  sensitive 
yellow  side  in  contact  with  the  negative. 


PL  A  TINUM  PRINTING. 


125 


Print  in  sunlight  until  the  half  tones  are  visible.  Print  deep  for  the 
highlights,  pay  no  attention  to  the  shadows.  As  the  paper  is  quite  sensitive, 
it  should  be  loaded  into  the  frame  and  inspected  during  printing  in  a  sub¬ 
dued  light. 

The  image  will  come  up  stronger,  more  like  the  ordinary  printing-out 
paper  than  most  platinum  papers,  but  development  is  slower  ;  this  is  an 
advantage,  as  it  affords  much  greater  control  during  development. 

Good  results  can  be  obtained  from  any  good  average  negative. 

DEVELOPING. 

Immerse  print  face  up  in  the  cold  developing  bath  prepared  as  follows  : 

Dissolve  the  contents  of  the  package  of  Angelo  Sepia  Salts  in  the 
amount  of  boiling  water  indicated  on  the  package. 

For  the  true  Sepia  tone  add  one  ounce  of  Angelo  Sepia  Solution 
to  each  ten  ounces  of  the  above  bath. 

For  redder  tones  add  more  of  the  Sepia  Solution. 

After  the  Sepia  Solution  has  been  added  to  the  developer,  allow  the 
mixture  to  boil  for  a  few  moments. 

When  cold,  the  bath  is  ready  for  use. 

Allow  the  prints  to  remain  in  the  bath  until  full  strength  and  brilliance 
has  been  attained. 

It  is  obvious  that  an  under-exposed  print  will  not  develop  full  strength 
and  that  an  over-exposed  one  will  develop  too  dark. 

Retain  the  developing  solution  for  future  use,  allowing  the  solution  to 
settle,  and  making  use  of  the  clear  portion  only.  When  the  greater  portion 
of  the  old  developer  has  been  used,  prepare  a  fresh  solution  in  the  usual 
manner  and  add  to  the  old  one. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  filter  the  bath,  so  long  as  only  the  clear  portion 
is  used. 

CLEARING  BATH. 

When  the  print  is  fully  developed,  immerse  face  down  in  the  clearing 
bath  prepared  as  follows  : 

Water, . So  ozs. 

Muriatic  Acid,  c.  p.,  -  -  -  -  '  2  drams. 

The  prints  must  go  through  two  clearing  baths,  prepared  as  above, 
remaining  for  at  least  five  minutes  in  each  bath. 

Separate  prints  each  time  they  are  changed. 

Be  careful  not  to  carry  any  of  the  acid  bath  on  your  fingers  into  the 
developing  bath. 


126 


PL  A  TINUM  PRINTING. 


WASHING. 

After  the  prints  have  been  fully  cleared,  wash  for  one-half  hour  in  run¬ 
ning  water,  or  in  six  changes  of  water,  separating  them  one  by  one  in  each 
change. 

DRYING. 

Prints  may  be  suspended  by  one  corner  to  dry,  or  they  may  be  placed 
between  blotters  to  remove  the  greater  part  of  the  moisture,  and  then 
replaced  between  clean  dry  blotters  to  dry  under  light  pressure. 

Avoid  the  use  of  the  ordinary  and  colored  blotters,  use  only  those 
specially  made  for  photographic  use. 

NOTE. 

The  following  are  the  most  important  points  in  connection  with  the 
manipulation  of  Platinum  paper  and  should  receive  careful  attention. 

Keep  paper  dry  at  all  times  before  development. 

When  placing  paper  on  negatives  or  examining  prints,  do  not  expose 
to  strong  light;  weak  daylight  or  gaslight  will  answer. 

Keep  up  strength  of  developer,  and  do  not  use  it  too  cold. 

Slide  prints  under  developer,  face  up,  to  prevent  the  formation  of  air 
bells. 

Place  prints  directly  from  the  developer  into  the  acid  clearing  bath 
without  previous  washing. 

See  that  clearing  of  prints  is  thorough.  The  last  clearing  bath  should 
be  free  from  any  yellowness. 

Use  chemically  pure  muriatic  acid  for  clearing  bath. 

If  developer  crystalizes  on  surface  of  prints,  causing  numerous  fine, 
dark  spots  to  appear  during  development,  reduce  the  strength  of  solution 
by  adding  from  one  to  two  ounces  of  water  to  twelve  ounces  of  developer. 


Enlarging  on  Bromide  Paper  With 

the  Kodak. 


Most  amateurs  are  aware  that  beautiful  enlargements  of  almost  any 
size  can  be  made  from  Kodak  or  any  small  negatives,  but  aie  possessed  of 
the  idea  that  the  process  of  enlarging  is  intricate  and  requires  a  great  deal' 
of  apparatus  and  technical  skill.  As  a  matter  of  fa&  ‘the  making  of  an  en¬ 
largement  is  simple  and  requires  practically  no  apparatus  beyond  the  Kodak. 

In  the  following  pages  we  clearly  describe  the  characteristics  and  uses 
of  bromide  papers  and  demonstrate  how  the  Kodak  and  many  of  the  other 
hand  cameras  may  be  utilized  for  the  making  of  enlargements.  No  attempt 
is  made  to  describe  the  more  intricate  and  costly  apparatus  demanded  by 
the  professional,  but  we  confine  ourselves  to  the  demands  of  the  average 
amateur. 

BROMIDE  PAPER. 

Bromide  paper  is  a  pure  photographic  paper  coated  with  a  sensitive 
compound  composed  principally  of  pure  bromide  of  silver  and  white  gela¬ 
tine  and  similar  to  the  emulsion  of  the  ordinary  dry  plate  or  film,  only  of 
much  less  rapidity,  permitting  manipulation  by  a  stronger  light  than  would 
be  safe  for  plates. 

Bromide  of  silver  gives  a  pure  black  tone  when  exposed  to  the  light 
and  then  developed,  the  unexposed  portions  of  the  paper  coated  with  this 
emulsion  remains  perfectly  white  except  with  Royal  bromide  paper  which 
is  coated  on  a  delicate  cream  stock. 

If  the  beginner  will  consider  the  sheet  of  bromide  paper  as  praCiically 
the  same  as  a  slow  dry  plate,  and  that  a  positive  image  is  produced  by  pho¬ 
tographing  through  the  negative  on  to  the  sheet  of  bromide  paper  with  the 
negative  and  sheet  of  paper  some  distance  apart  instead  of  in  contaft  as  in 
making  an  ordinary  print,  a  clearer  understanding  of  the  process  will  be 

afforded. 

Bromide  paper  has  remarkable  keeping  qualities  both  befoie  and  a  ter 
exposure,  and  the  developed  print  when  carefully  fixed  and  washed  is  as 
permanent  as  the  paper  support  itself. 

WHAT  IS  AN  ENLARGEMENT? 

An  enlargement,  in  the  usual  sense,  is  a  positive  image  or  pitfure  ob¬ 
tained  by  permitting  rays  of  light  to  pass  through  a  negative,  then  through 


128 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  RARER. 


a  lens  and  focusing  on  a  sheet  of  sensitive  bromide  paper  ;  the  size  of  the 
projected  image  depending  upon  the  distance  between  lens  and  paper,  the 
further  the  paper  is  from  the  lens  the  greater  the  enlargement,  which  will  be 
readily  understood  by  reference  to  diagram  below. 

An  enlarged  negative  can  also  be  made  in  the  same  manner  by  using  a 
small  positive,  the  projected  image  focusing  on  a  dry  plate  instead  of  on 
bromide  paper. 


UTILIZING  THE  KODAK  FOR  ENLARGING. 

Most  of  the  present  models  of  the  Kodak  can  be  utilized  for  enlarging, 
excepting  only  those  models  not  permitting  the  removal  of  the  back  and 
the  racking  back  and  forth  of  the  lens. 

The  use  of  Kodaks  such  as  the  No.  2  Flexo  and  No.  2  Bulls-Eye  for 
enlarging  is  limited,  as  the  distance  between  the  focal  plane  and  the  lens  is 
fixed  and  prevents  the  making  of  enlargements  beyond  a  certain  size. 
The  Folding  Pocket  Kodaks  (except  the  No.  1  and  No.  i-A),  the4-A,  and 
the  Cartridge  Kodaks,  including  the  Screen  Focus  Kodak,  lend  themselves 
particularly  well  to  enlarging. 

The  method  of  utilizing  these  instruments  is  shown  in  the  following  : 

In  enlarging  by  daylight  with  the  Kodak  all  that  is  required  is  a  room, 

with  a  north  window 
preferred,  through 
which  the  light  can 
enter  without  obstruc¬ 
tion  from  trees  or  near¬ 
by  buildings. 

A  room  with  one 
window  is  preferable 
as  this  of  course  lessens 
the  difficulty  in  exclud¬ 
ing  the  white  light. 
It  must  be  remember¬ 
ed  that  although  Bro¬ 
mide  paper  is  much 
less  sensitive  than  a 
dry  plate,  an  instant’s 
exposure  to  white  light 
will  ruin  it. 

The  window  should  be  blocked  up  to  exclude  white  light  by  means  of 
a  closely  fitting  wooden  shutter,  or  any  perfectly  opaque  substance  such  as 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  PAPER. 


129 


heavy  card  or  press  board  fastened  in 
place  with  small  nails  or  Kodak  push 
pins.  An  opening  will  of  course  have 
to  be  made  in  this  shutter  to  receive 
the  Kodak  holding  frame  as  will  appear 
in  the  following  diagrams  : 

Figure  1  illustrates  the  frame  for 
holding  the  Kodak  when  used  as  an 
enlarging  camera.  This  frame  is  sim¬ 
ply  a  shelf  with  a  projection  to  hold  the 
Kodak  and  negative  firmly  in  position, 
and  can  easily  be  constructed  with  the 
simplest  tools. 

The  shutter  to  exclude  light  from 
the  window,  and  to  which  the  holding 
frame  is  attached  need  be  of  wood  only 
where  the  frame  is  attached,  the  re¬ 
mainder  of  the  window  may  be  blocked 
up  with  heavy  press  board  or  opaque 
cloth  held  in  position  with  Kodak  push 
pins.  This  will  lessen  the  expense  and  also 
and  removal  of  the  frame. 


Fig.  1. 

facilitate  the  putting  in  place 


/ 


Figure  2  shows 
the  Kodak  and  hold¬ 
ing  frame  in  profile  and 
illustrates  method  of 
holding  Kodak  in  po¬ 
sition  with  rubber 
bands.  To  place  neg¬ 
ative  in  position  for 
enlarging,  procure  two 
pieces  of  plain  glass, 
the  same  size  as  the 
negative,  or  that  will 
fit  opening  A  in  the 
holding  frame;  see  that 
the  glasses  are  without 
flaws  and  perfeCdy 
clean,  place  the  nega¬ 
tive  to  be  enlarged 

from,  between  the  glasses,  binding  ends  of  glasses  with  a  small  piece  of 


130 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  RARER. 


adhesive  binding  paper  to  ensure  the  negative  lying  flat.  Then  insert  glasses 
in  groove  A,  with  the  negative  upside  down  and  with  the  dull  side  facing 
into  the  room. 

Next  remove  the  back  from  the  Kodak  (as  it  will  not  be  used  while 
enlarging),  and  place  the  Kodak  in  the  holding  frame  as  shown  in  Figure 
3,  securing  the  Kodak  to  the  frame  with  heavy  rubber  bands  as  shown  ;  by 
using  rubber  bands  the  Kodak  is  held  firmly  in  position  and  without  dan¬ 
ger  of  marring  or  scratching  the  leather  covering. 


Fig.  3. 


When  it  is  the  intention  to  use  one  of  the  Folding  Pocket  Kodaks 
the  holding  frame  should  be  constructed  so  as  to  allow  a  distance  of  three 
inches  between  negative  and  back  of  Kodak,  as  this  will,  with  the  Kodak 
Portrait  attachment  in  place,  increase  the  focal  capacity  of  the  Kodak 
sufficiently  to  permit  the  making  of  two  time  enlargements  from  the  whole 
negative. 

In  many  instances  the  actual  picture  is  contained  in  a  comparatively 
small  portion  of  the  negative,  and  in  such  cases  all  unused  portions  of  the 
negative  may  be  covered  with  a  mask  of  post  office  or  black  paper. 

If  any  light  enters  from  between  the  Kodak  and  the  holding  frame 
it  may  be  excluded  by  throwing  an  opaque  cloth  over  the  frame. 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  PAPER. 


I3i 

The  Cartridge  Kodaks  and  the  Screen  Focus  Kodak  may  be  utilized 
in  praftically  the  same  manner  as  will  appear  by  referring  to  Figure  4. 
The  Kodak  is  easily  held  firmly  in  place  by  the 
use  of  Kodak  Push  Pins  as  shown  in  the  diagram. 

Any  Plate  Camera  of  the  so-called  cycle  type 
may  be  used  for  enlarging  by  making  use  of  the 
holding  frame. 

The  negative  in  such  cases  is  best  secured  in 
position  by  utilizing  an  old  plate  holder  with  the 
center  septum  and  dark  slides  removed,  insert  the 
negative  in  the  plate  holder  upside  down  and  with 
the  dull  side  toward  the  lens,  placing  the  holder  in 
the  back  of  the  camera  in  the  usual  manner. 

If  ground  glass  in  the  back  of  the  camera  inter¬ 
cepts  too  much  light  it  should  be  removed. 

Unless  the  window  you  intend  to  use  com¬ 
mands  an  unobstructed  view  of  the  horizon,  a  piece 
of  heavy  white  cardboard  about  15  inches  long  and 
12  inches  wide  or  larger  should  be  placed  just  out¬ 
side  the  window,  at  an  angle  of  45 0  to  refleCt  the 
light  from  the  sky.  (See  Fig.  2.) 

To  ascertain  if  the  refle&or  is  in  the  proper 
position,  place  a  sheet  of  ground  glass  over  the  opening  in  the  holding 
frame.  If  properly  placed  the  ground  glass  will  be  evenly  illuminated. 
No  harm  will  result  if  the  sun  shines  on  the  ground  glass  and  refleCior,  pro¬ 
vided  it  strikes  evenly  ;  if  the  light  is  too  strong  the  lens  can  be  stopped 
down. 

The  easel  or  copy-board  for  holding  the  bromide  paper  may  be  con¬ 
structed  as  shown  in  Figure  3  or  it  may  be  modified  to  suit  individual  needs 
or  conditions. 

In  cases  where  the  window  is  some  distance  from  the  floor,  or  the 
window  surface  is  exceedingly  large,  the  Kodak  holding  frame  may  be 
placed  directly  on  the  lower  sill  and  the  light  excluded  by  covering  the 
balance  of  the  window  as  previously  suggested. 

The  whole  apparatus  is  so  exceedingly  simple  that  modifications  to  suit 
individual  requirements  can  easily  be  made. 

Care  must  be  observed  to  keep  the  easel  front  exactly  parallel  with  the 
negative. 

The  best  negative  for  enlarging  from  is  one  not  too  dense  or  too  weak 
but  with  good  detail  in  the  shadows  and  transparent  in  the  high  lights. 


Fig.  4. 


I32 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  PAPER. 


THE  SIZE  OF  THE  ENLARGEMENT 

depends  upon  the  focus  of  the  lens  and  the  distance  of  the  easel  or  copy 
board  from  the  negative. 

Even  when  using  the  No.  4- A  Folding  Kodak  with  its  lens  of  8J4  inch 
equivalent  focus  a  six  times  enlargement  will  only  require  a  distance  of  five 
feet  from  the  lens  to  the  bromide  paper,  so  it  will  be  seen  that  only  a  small 
space  is  necessary  for  all  ordinary  requirements. 

THE  LENS. 

Any  lens  that  will  make  a  good  negative  may  be  used  for  enlarging. 
The  proper  size  (focal  length)  of  the  lens  depends  entirely  upon  the  size  of 
the  negative  to  be  enlarged  from  and  not  at  all  upon  the  size  of  the  enlarge¬ 
ment  to  be  made. 

The  lens  that  made  the  negative  will  be  suitable  for  enlarging  from  that 
negative.  If  the  lens  will  cover  the  negative  it  will  make  an  enlargement 
from  it  of  any  size.  Any  Kodak  lens  is  suitable  for  enlarging  from  nega¬ 
tives  made  with  the  Kodak  to  which  it  is  fitted. 

MAKING  THE  EXPOSURE. 

Having  placed  the  negative  in  position,  and  taking  care  that  the  pack¬ 
age  of  bromide  paper  is  well  protected,  set  the  shutter  for  time  and  press 
the  release  to  open  same,  an  image  more  or  less  blurred  will  appear  on  the 
easel,  now  move  the  easel  back  and  forth  until  the  desired  size  of  the  enlarge¬ 
ment  is  secured,  then  focus  the  image  sharply  by  racking  the  lens  back  and 
forth. 

The  nearer  the  lens  is  placed  to  the  negative  the  greater  the  size  of  the 
enlargement  and  the  copy  board  will  have  to  be  moved  back  correspond¬ 
ingly  to  obtain  sharp  focus. 

Focus  with  the  lens  fully  open,  then  stop  down  to  at  least  stop  .16. 
This  not  only  insures  good  definition  but  by  lengthening  the  time  of  expos¬ 
ure  permits  greater  control  during  exposure,  affording  time  to  shade  or 
locally  increase  the  exposure  on  any  portion  of  the  image. 

After  having  obtained  the  desired  size  and  correct  focus  close  the  shut¬ 
ter  and  place  the  sheet  of  bromide  paper  in  position  on  the  easel  or  copy 
board.  Before  capping  the  lens  or  closing  the  shutter  the  correct  position 
for  placing  the  sheet  of  bromide  paper  should  be  marked  on  the  copy  board. 

A  deep  colored  ray  screen  may  be  utilized  as  a  lens  cap,  as  the  light 
coming  through  this  screen  will  not  affect  the  bromide  paper  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  the  operator  can  by  this  means  see  just  where  to  fasten  the 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  RARER. 


133 


sheet  of  bromide.  It  is  perhaps  unnecessary  to  state  that  the  coated  or 
emulsion  side  of  the  paper  should  be  out.  (The  coated  side  is  slightly 
concave). 

Before  opening  the  package  of  Bromide  paper  see  that  no  white  light 
enters  the  room.  It  is  well  to  provide  a  good  sized  box  with  a  hinged,  light 
tight  cover  to  keep  the  Bromide  paper  in  until  needed,  with  also  a  compart¬ 
ment  to  hold  the  exposed  sheets  when  making  a  number  of  enlargements 
to  be  developed  later. 

TEST  EXPOSURES. 

After  the  corre<5I  size  and  focus  have  been  obtained  the  next  step  is  the 
exposure. 

Provision  should  have  been  made  for  a  non-a6linic  yellow  or  orange 
dark-room  lamp,  or  a  small  window  opening  outside  covered  with  several 
thicknesses  of  yellow  or  post  office  paper. 

In  first  attempting  the  making  of  enlargements,  test  strips  for  deter¬ 
mining  the  accuracy  of  focus  and  proper  duration  of  the  exposure  should  be 
employed. 

A  strip  one  or  two  inches  wide  and  long  enough  to  extend  diagonally 
across  the  focused  image  will  be  sufficient. 

Correct  exposure  depends  on  several  fadors  ;  the  intensity  of  the  light, 
density  of  the  negative,  size  of  the  enlargement,  and  aperture  of  lens. 

The  first  test  exposure  will  be  purely  arbitrary  ;  if  the  light  be  good 
and  the  negative  of  average  density,  say  ten  seconds. 

Cover  up  two-thirds  of  the  strip  with  a  piece  of  cardboard,  and  expose 
for  five  seconds,  move  the  cardboard  and  give  the  next  portion  five  seconds, 
making  ten  for  the  first,  then  remove  the  cardboard  entirely  and  expose  the 
remainder  of  the  strip  five  seconds,  the  fully  exposed  strip  will  now  contain 
three  different  exposures,  one  of  five  seconds,  one  of  ten  and  one  of  fifteen 
seconds. 

While  the  exa<51  time  for  the  developement  of  a  correfflly  exposed  bro¬ 
mide  enlargement  cannot  be  given,  the  proper  exposure  may  be  readily  de¬ 
termined  by  appearance  as  the  image  will  appear  gradually,  developing 
brilliantly  and  attaining  full  strength  in  about  one  minute.  Develop  this 
test  strip  (see  page  134  for  directions. )  If  these  test  exposures  are  all  very 
much  over  or  under  exposed  make  another  set  of  test  exposures,  being 
guided  as  to  time  by  the  first  strip.  If  the  image  comes  up  rapidly  but 
dull  and  full  of  detail  in  the  highlights  it  has  been  over-exposed  ;  if  weak 
and  without  detail,  it  is  under-timed.  Under  different  conditions  the  time 
required  for  exposure  varies  from  five  seconds  to  five  or  ten  minutes, 
according  to  the  light,  density  of  the  negative,  etc.  However,  a  few  trials 


134 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  RARER. 


will  narrow  the  exercise  of  judgment  down  to  the  intensity  of  the  light,  and 
the  making  of  correct  exposures  becomes  a  simple  matter. 

In  making  enlargements  of  different  sizes  it  must  be  remembeied  that 
light  intensity  decreases  as  the  easel  is  moved  further  away  from  the  lens. 
As  an  example  :  If  an  enlargement  eight  by  ten  in  size  requires  ten  sec¬ 
onds,  one  sixteen  by  twenty  (which  is  four  times  as  great  in  area)  would 
require  four  times  ten  or  forty  seconds  exposure.  Do  not  attempt  to  count 
seconds  ;  use  a  watch  or  clock. 

No  printing  process  affords  so  many  opportunities  for  modifying  in  the 
print  the  charaaeristics  of  the  original  negative  as  bromide  enlarging. 

Stop  down  the  lens  so  as  to  afford  plenty  of  time  during  the  exposure, 
and  we  can  shade  a  little  here,  give  a  little  longer  exposure  there  and  pb- 
tain  just  the  result  desired,  bringing  out  detail  in  the  shadows  or  softening 
a  highlight  at  will. 

In  shading  any  portion  during  exposure,  hold  the  shade  nearer  the 
lens  than  the  copy  board  to  avoid  sharp  lines  and  obtain  the  proper 
diffusion. 

DEVELOPMENT. 

After  the  exposure  has  been  made  the  next  step  is  development,  which 
is  accomplished  in  practically  the  same  manner  as  in  the  development  of  a 
plate  or  film. 

Provide  a  ruby  or  orange  lamp,  graduate,  stirring  rod  and  three  trays, 
preferably  of  hard  rubber,  or  rubber  lined,  at  least  an  inch  larger  each  way 
then  your  sheets  of  bromide  paper,  to  facilitate  handling. 

A  rubber  lined  tray  of  any  size  is  easily  constructed  by  glueing  a  sheet 
of  gossamer  rubber  cloth  into  a  wooden  box  or  tray. 

As  the  bromide  paper  is  not  as  sensitive  to  light  as  a  dry  plate  or  film 
a  stronger  light  may  be  employed  for  developing.  A  small  window  opening 
outside,  covered  with  two  thicknesses  of  yellow  post  office  paper  will  serve, 
or  the  ruby  glass  may  be  removed  from  the  dark  room  lamp.  The  remain¬ 
ing  orange  glass  will  be  ample  protection  against  fog  and  allow  the  process 
of  development  to  be  observed  with  greater  ease. 

Use  developer  at  a  temperature  of  about  70°  Fahr.  After  exposure, 
soak  the  paper  in  water  until  limp  and  brush  lightly  over  the  surface  while 
wet,  with  a  tuft  of  cotton  and  flow  developer  over  the  print. 

The  image  should  appear  slowly  and  should  develop  up  strong- ,  clear , 
and  brilliant.  When  the  shadows  are  sufficiently  black,  pour  off  the  devel¬ 
oper  and  rinse  the  print  thoroughly  with  pure  water.  Increasing  the 
amounts  of  Bromide  of  Potassium  given  in  our  formulae  is  sometimes  neces¬ 
sary  to  prevent  grayish  high-lights. 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  PARER. 


135 


After  development  is  complete  the  print  should  be  placed  in  clean  water 
for  a  few  seconds  and  then  immersed  in  the  fixing  bath.  Do  not  attempt 
to  develop  too  many  prints  in  one  portion  of  developer.  After  five  or  six 
have  been  developed  mix  up  a  fresh  portion. 

There  are  a  number  of  developers  that  will  produce  good  results  on 
Bromide  papers,  when  used  by  experienced  hands,  understanding  their 
limitations.  The  professional  photographer  enlarges  from  a  uniform  quality 
of  negative  and  for  a  certain  effect  ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  amateur,  from 
the  wide  diversity  of  his  attempts,  finds  his  negatives  varying  in  density  and 
quality,  and  the  best  developer  for  him  to  use  is  the  one  affording  the  great¬ 
est  latitude  in  exposure  and  development,  and  one  that  keeps  well  in 
solution. 

Without  question  Nepera  Solution  is  the  best  developer  for  this  pur¬ 
pose.  Nepera  Solution  is  known  as  the  universal  developer,  as  it  may  also 
be  used  for  plates,  films  and  Velox  papers. 

For  use  with  Bromide  paper,  take 

Nepera  Solution, . 1  ounce. 

Water,  -  --  --  --  -  -6  ounces. 

Do  not  add  Bromide  of  Potassium,  as  the  correct  amount  is  contained 
in  the  solution.  The  capsules  accompanying  each  package  should  not  be 
used  for  developing  Bromide  paper,  as  they  are  intended  for  use  with  films 
and  plates.  Six  ounces  of  the  prepared  solution  will  develop  twelve  five  by 
seven  prints  or  their  equivalent,  after  which  a  fresh  solution  should  be  pre¬ 
pared.  When  Nepera  Solution  is  not  obtainable,  the  following  formula 
should  be  used  : 

METOL  HYDRO  DEVELOPER. 

Hot  Water,  -  8  ounces.  Sulphite  of  Soda,  -  264  grains. 

Metol,  -  -  -  20  grains.  Carbonate  of  Soda,  -  437  grains. 

Hydrochinon,  -  72  grains.  Bromide  of  Potassium,  xo  grains. 

The  above  formula  should  be  prepared  with  Mallinckrodt’s  desiccated 
sodas  ;  if  crystals  are  used,  double  the  quantity  of  both  sulphite  and  car¬ 
bonate  of  soda. 

This  concentrated  developer  will  keep  indefinitely  in  full  bottles  well 
stoppered. 

TO  DEVELOP. 

Take  in  a  suitable  tray — 

Concentrated  Solution,  1  ounce.  |  Water,  -  -  6  ounces. 

This  amount  is  sufficient  to  develop  twelve  5x7  prints  or  their 
equivalent. 


136 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  RARER. 


FIXING. 

If  Bromide  prints  are  fixed  in  the  fixing  bath  prepared  according  to  the 
following  formula,  there  will  be  no  evidence  of  blisters  or  frilling. 

Hyposulphite  of  Soda,  \}4.  ounces.  |  Water,  -  16  ounces. 

A  fresh  fixing  bath  made  up  as  above,  should  fix  twelve  5x7  prints 
or  their  equivalent,  after  which  the  bath  should  be  discarded. 

The  prints  should  remain  in  the  fixing  bath  for  at  least  fifteen  minutes, 
and  should  be  moved  one  over  the  other  occasionally  to  insure  even  fixing 
and  to  avoid  staining. 

After  all  prints  have  remained  in  the  fixing  bath  for  a  few  minutes,  the 
yellow  shade  may  be  removed  from  the  light  and  the  balance  of  the  oper¬ 
ation  continued  by  ordinary  light.  Before  permitting  white  light  to  enter, 
be  sure  that  any  unexposed  or  undeveloped  sheets  of  the  bromide  paper 
have  been  carefully  protected  from  the  light. 

After  fixing,  immerse  prints  for  about  ten  minutes  in  a  hardening  bath 
composed  of  water,  16  ozs.  ;  Alum,  1  oz.  When  removed  from  hardening 
bath,  the  prints  should  be  washed  for  at  least  one  hour  in  running  water,  or 
in  at  least  twelve  changes  of  water,  in  a  tray  sufficiently  large  to  permit  the 
water  to  reach  all  portions  of  each  print. 

Move  the  prints  one  over  the  other  occasionally  to  ensure  the  full  eli¬ 
mination  of  the  fixing  solution. 


DRYING. 

After  the  prints  have  been  thoroughly  washed,  they  may  be  suspended 
by  means  of  Kodak  Push  Pins  from  the  edge  of  a  table  or  shelf.  Upon 
removal,  when  dry,  they  will  curl  but  slightly  and  can  be  made  to  lie  per¬ 
fectly  flat  when  required,  by  moistening  the  back  only  and  re-drying 
between  blotters  under  heavy  pressure. 

Do  not  use  the  ordinary  commercial  blotter  as  it  usually  contains  a 
large  percentage  of  hypo  and  other  injurious  chemicals. 

Avoid  also  the  use  of  colored  blotters  and  those  containing  printed 
matter  as  both  the  coloring  and  printers’  ink  are  apt  to  impress  themselves 
unpleasantly  on  the  print. 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  RARER. 


137 


HINTS. 

Mealy  Mottled  Prints — Over-exposure  and  short  development. 

Greenish  Tones  are  obtained  by  over-exposure  and  too  much 
bromide. 

hACE  of  Permanent  Bromide  Paper  can  always  be  distinguished 
by  its  curling  in.  Convex  side  is  always  the  back. 

Fixing — The  operator  can  tell  when  a  bromide  print  is  fixed  by  look¬ 
ing  through  it  or  upon  it  in  a  good  light  ;  unfixed  portions  will  be  a  green¬ 
ish  yellow. 

Yellow  Prints— Prolonged  development  will  cause  yellow  prints. 
The  exposure  must  be  correct  so  as  to  allow  of  quick  development. 

Forcing  Development  does  not  give  good  results  for  the  above 
reason. 

Running  Water  is  not  so  sure  a  means  for  washing  prints  as  chang¬ 
ing  them  from  one  tray  to  another,  allowing  them  to  soak  at  least  ten 
minutes  in  each  fresh  water  ;  twelve  changes  are  sufficient  ;  no  less. 

Retouching  Negatives — Coarse  grinding  for  retouching  should  be 
avoided  and  the  retouching  “  burned  in  ”  to  the  varnish  over  a  spirit  lamp 
to  avoid  having  the  scratches  show  in  the  enlargement. 

DON’T. 

Don’t  use  old  hypo  for  fixing. 

Don’t  use  the  developing  dish  for  fixing. 

Don’t  put  the  prints  between  blotters  to  dry,  unless  they  have  been 
five  minutes  in  a  solution  of  alum,  4  ounces. ;  Water,  1  quart. 

Don’t  fail  to  rock  the  tray  well  while  developing. 

Don’t  rock  in  one  direction  only,  unless  you  want  streaky  prints. 

Don’t  let  a  jet  of  water  play  on  the  paper  while  washing  ;  it  will  cause 
blisters. 

Don’t  use  old  developer  on  large  prints  for  the  sake  of  economy  ;  use 
it  fresh  every  time. 

Don’t  say  you  can’t  work  Bromide  paper  because  you  fail  to  get  a 
good  result  the  first  time.  Perseverance  in  all  things. 

Don’t  expect  that  the  light  reflected  from  a  red  brick  wall  will  be 
sufficient  for  enlarging.  Unless  your  enlarging  window  has  an  unbroken 
horizon  use  a  reflector. 

Don’t  suppose  that  a  Permanent  Bromide  print  is  liable  to  fade 
because  the  paper  turns  yellow.  All  paper  will  become  yellow  after 
exposure  to  light  and  air.  For  example,  see  any  old  engraving  or  etching. 
This  yellowing  or  mellowing  of  the  paper  has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with 
fading. 


138 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  PAPER. 


WHAT  PAPER  TO  USE. 


VELVET  BROMIDE. 

Suited  to  negatives  having  broad  shadows,  the  slight  sheen  of  the  semi¬ 
gloss  surface  giving  to  enlargements  from  such  negatives  a  life  and  brilliancy 
which  is  highly  pleasing.  Velvet  Bromide  is  especially  appreciated  by 
those  who  enlarge  from  amateur  or  landscape  negatives. 

ROYAL  BROMIDE  PAPER 

is  particularly  recommended  for  use  where  14  x  17  or  larger  prints  are  to  be 
made.  When  enlarged  through  bolting  cloth  and  sepia  toned,  prints  on  this 
paper  have  the  breadth  and  softness  of  rare  old  etchings.  This  paper  is 
not  adapted  for  use  when  vignetted  prints  are  wanted,  but  gives  a  richness 
obtainable  on  no  other  paper  when  used  with  negatives  having  dark,  sketchy 
backgrounds,  deep  shadows  and  snappy  high  lights.  When  using  bolting 
cloth  screen,  the  time  of  exposure  should  be  increased  about  one-third. 

STANDARD  BROMIDE  PAPER 

is  a  natural  surface  Bromide  paper,  which  is  especially  adapted  to  all  kinds  of 
enlargements,  particularly  copies  on  which  crayon  or  pastel  work  is  to  be  done. 

The  emulsion  is  coated  on  three  different  weights  of  paper — A,  thin 
smooth — B,  heavy  smooth — C,  heavy  rough. 

PLATINO-BROMIDE  PAPER. 

Platino-Bromide  is  a  new  argentic  bromide  paper,  giving  soft,  rich 
effects,  velvety  blacks,  absolutely  pure  whites,  and  having  a  dead  surface 
like  platinum.  Unlike  platinum  paper,  however,  it  will  keep  before  and 
after  exposure,  and  can  be  printed  by  lamplight.  Pictures  made  on  it  are 
permanent  as  the  paper  itself. 

ENAMELED  BROMIDE  PAPER. 

Prints  on  Enameled  Bromide  paper  when  untoned  combine  the  soft 
effects  of  a  platinum  or  bromide  tone  with  a  highly  enameled  surface.  This 
paper  has  a  slightly  pink  tint  which  especially  commends  itself  to  those 
who  object  to  the  coldness  of  an  ordinary  bromide  tone. 

Prints  on  enameled  Bromide  paper  when  toned  with  the  hypo  toning 
bath  given  further  on,  and  dried  on  ferrotype  plates,  are  in  no  wise  inferior 
to  the  best  aristo  prints  in  richness  of  tone  and  depth  of  detail  and  gloss, 
hence  enlargements  made  in  this  way  from  good  negatives  are  fully  equal 
to  contact  prints  and  require  no  finishing. 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  BARER. 


139 


MATTE-ENAMEL  BROMIDE  PAPER. 

This  paper  combines  the  brilliancy  of  an  enameled  paper  with  rich 
carbon  blacks.  Like  the  enameled,  it  is  lent  warmth  by  its  slightly  pink 
tint  and  is  capable  of  taking  a  beautiful  sepia  tone. 


SEPIA  TONES  WITH  ROYAL,  VELVET,  ENAMELED, 
MATTE-ENAMEL,  OR  PLATINO  BROMIDE  PAPER. 

By  using  the  following  formula  rich  brown  and  sepia  tones  can  be 
readily  obtained  with  prints  on  Royal,  Enameled,  Matte-Enamel  or  Platino 
Bromide  paper  after  they  have  been  developed  and  fixed.  The  tones 
produced  are  permanent  and  not  subject  to  the  bronzing  in  the  shadows 
which  occur  in  bromides  toned  in  Uranium. 


FORMULA. 


Hyposulphite  of  Soda,  - 
Ground  Alum,  - 
Hot  Water,  - 


20  ozs. 
4  ozs. 
2  gals. 


Dissolve  the  Hypo  in  the  water  first,  then  add  the  alum  slowly  ;  when 
all  is  dissolved  the  solution  should  be  milk  white.  Allow  it  to  settle,  then 
decant  the  clear  solution  and  use  cold. 


TO  TONE. 

After  prints  are  developed  and  fixed  wash  in  three  or  four  changes  of 
water  and  then  immerse  in  the  cold  toning  bath,  being  careful  to  remove  all 
air  bells.  The  print  or  prints  should  be  handled  over  occasionally  during 
the  fiist  four  or  five  hours  and  may  then  be  left  in  the  bath  over  night  or 
until  the  desired  tone  is  acquired. 

After  toning  wash  thoroughly  two  hours  and  hang  up  to  dry. 


DETAILS. 

Be  sure  and  fix  thoroughly  before  toning. 

Prints  should  be  toned  face  up. 

Solution  may  be  used  repeatedly  by  adding  fresh  bath  occasionally. 

A  number  of  prints  can  be  toned  in  the  same  bath  at  the  same  time. 
Spots  or  unevenness  in  the  tone  will  disappear  if  print  is  left  in  the  bath 
and  occasionally  moved. 

The  toning  takes  from  15  to  20  hours. 


140 


ENLARGING  ON  BROMIDE  RARER . 


SEPIA  TONES  WITH  ROYAL  RE-DEVELOPING 

SOLUTION. 

Bromide  enlargements  may  be  toned  with  Royal  Re-Developing 
solution.  Prints  on  Matte-Enamel  or  Platino  Bromide  paper  attain  a  much 
better  color  with  this  method  than  with  the  Hypo  Alum  bath.  Prints  on 
Royal  Bromide  toned  in  this  way  are  considerably  warmer  in  color  than 
when  toned  in  the  Hypo  Alum  bath.  Bromide  prints  should  be  handled  in 
the  same  manner  as  described  for  Velox  on  page  ior. 


GLOSSY  PRINTS  WITHOUT  A  BURNISHER. 

Beautiful  glossy  prints  may  be  made  on  Enameled  Bromide  paper  by 
following  directions  given  for  using  Ferrotype  plates  with  Solio  paper  on 
page  113. 


ANOTHER  METHOD. 

A  fine  gloss  may  be  given  Enameled  Bromide  Prints  by  coating  the 
mounted  print  with  a  solution  of  gum  arabic  1  oz. ,  water  4  ozs. ;  filter 
through  chamois  skin  each  time  before  using.  Apply  smoothly  with  a 
camel’s  hair  brush.  If  too  thick  to  spread  smoothly,  thin  with  water  to 
proper  consistency. 


CLEANING  THE  PRINTS. 

The  surface  of  Enameled  Bromide  Paper  is  extremely  delicate  and 
liable  to  abrasion,  which  shows  in  hair-like  lines  like  pencil  marks  after 
development.  F'ortunately  they  can  be  easily  removed  from  the  dry  print 
before  mounting  by  rubbing  with  a  tuft  of  wet  cotton. 


Mounting. 

The  most  satisfactory  method  for 
mounting  prints  of  any  size  is  by  the 
use  of  Kodak  Dry  Mounting  Tissue,  as 
by  the  use  of  this  tissue  the  print  lies 
perfectly  flat  in  absolute  contact  even 
on  the  thinnest  mount,  and  absolutely 
without  curl. 

The  tissue  comes  in  flat  sheets, 
dry,  not  sticky,  and  easy  to  handle, 
and  being  water-proof,  protects  the 
print  from  any  impurities  in  the  mount 
stock.  The  process  of  mounting  is  as 

Tacking  Tissue  to  Mount.  . 

follows  :  Lay  the  print  on  its  face 
and  tack  to  the  back  a  piece  of  the  tissue  of  the  same  size  as  the  print  by 
applying  the  point  of  a  hot  flatiron  to  small  spots  at  opposite  ends.  Turn 
the  print  face  up  and  trim  to  size  desired,  place  in  proper  position  on  the 
mount,  cover  the  print  with  a  piece  of  smooth  paper  and  press  the  whole 
surface  with  a  hot  flatiron. — Press,  don' t  rub.  The  iron  should  be  just  hot 
enough  to  siss  when  touched  with  the  wet  finger.  If  the  iron  is  too  hot  the 
tissue  will  stick  to  the  mount  and  not  to  the  print,  if  too  cold  the  tissue  will 
stick  to  the  print  and  not  to  the  mount. 

Remedy  :  Lower  or  raise  the  temperature  of  the  iron  and  apply  again. 

WITH  PASTE. 

After  prints  are  trimmed,  immerse  them  in  a  tray  of  clean  water,  allow¬ 
ing  them  to  soak  long  enough  to  become  thoroughly  limp.  Remove  to  a 
good  sized  piece  of  clean  glass,  placing  them  in  a  pile  face  down.  Cover 
with  a  piece  of  clean  blotting  paper  and  with  a  roller  squeegee  press  all  the 
superfluous  water  from  the  pile.  Then  with  a  good  bristle  paste  brush 
apply  a  thin  even  coating  of  starch  paste.  Raise  the  print  by  taking  hold 
of  the  two  opposite  corners  and  turning  it  over,  place  in  position  on  the 
mount.  Lay  a  clean  dry  blotter  over  the  print  and  with  a  roller  press  into 
contact.  Any  lint  or  fuzz  from  the  blotter  or  any  paste  on  the  surface  of 
the  print  should  be  immediately  removed  with  a  soft  sponge  or  dampened 
cloth.  When  dry,  shape  the  mounted  print  by  running  it  through  a  cold 
burnisher.  Any  imperfections  in  the  finished  print  may  be  corrected  by 
spotting,  using  a  fine  sable  brush  and  spotting  color  or  India  ink.  Care 
should  be  exercised  to  select  mounts  which  harmonize  with  the  tone  of  the 
print.  If  Sepia  prints  are  to  be  mounted,  any  shade  of  brown  or  some  of 
the  deeper  reds  may  be  used,  but  these  same  mounts  would  not  be  suitable 
for  black  and  white  tones.  For  the  black  and  white  prints  any  shade  of 
gray,  carbon  black,  buff  or  cream  color  may  be  successfully  used. 


Making  Lantern  Slides. 


There  is  no  pleasanter  part  of  the  art  photographic  than  the  making  of 
lantern  slides.  Permanent  Bromide  lantern  slide  plates  are  coated  with  an 
emulsion  similar  to  that  used  on  Bromide  paper  and  are  developed  in 
exactly  the  same  manner.  Lantern  slides  can  be  made  by  contact  printing 
from  2,%  x  4^  or  smaller  negatives,  and  from  4x5  negatives,  except  when 
it  is  necessary  to  retain  everything  shown  clear  up  to  the  edges  of  the  orig¬ 
inal  negative.  From  larger  negatives  the  lantern  slides  are  made  by 
reduction,  a  process  similar  to  that  of  enlarging  except  that  the  Bromide 
slide  plate  must  be  nearer  the  lens  than  the  negative — the  reverse  of  the 
enlarging  process  where  the  further  from  the  lens  the  paper  is,  the  greater 
the  enlargement.  By  either  the  contact  or  enlarging  process  the  operation 
of  slide  making  is  very  simple.  If  the  operator  is  provided  with  a  develop¬ 
ing  and  printing  outfit,  the  only  extras  required  for  contact  printing  will  be 

1  doz.  Permanent  Bromide  Transparency  Plates. 

1  doz.  Cover  Glasses  with  Masks. 

TO  PREPARE  THE  NEGATIVES. 

Take  a  negative  and  fasten  it  in  position  over  the  paper  mask  by  means 
of  a  bit  of  gummed  paper,  and  lay  the  mask  with  the  negative  on  the  clean 
glass  plate  in  the  printing  frame  with  the  negative  between  the  mask  and  the 
glass.  Lay  one  of  the  plates  coated  side  down,  on  the  negative  in  the  frame, 
fasten  the  back  of  frame  and  expose  as  directed  in  the  following  paragraph. 

EXPOSURE. 

The  exposure  varies  with  the  intensity  of  the  negative,  and  the  quality 
and  intensity  of  the  light,  but  may  be  approximately  stated  to  be,  using  as 
thin  a  glass  or  transparent  film  negative  as  will  make  a  good  print,  one- 
quarter  second  by  diffused  daylight,  or  ten  seconds  at  a  distance  of  one  foot 
from  a  number  two  kerosene  burner.  Very  thin  negatives  should  be  printed 
by  weak  yellow  light,  like  that  obtained  from  a  kerosene  lamp  turned  down 
a  little  below  the  normal  intensity.  In  this  way  a  strong,  vigorous  slide 
may  be  obtained  from  a  negative  that  would  otherwise  be  too  thin  and  flat. 
Strong,  intense  negatives  are  best  printed  by  daylight. 


MAKING  LANTERN  SLIDES. 


143 


DEVELOPING  THE  SLIDE. 

Take  the  plate  out  of  the  frame  and  lay  it  on  one  of  the  trays,  and 
cover  it  with  either  of  the  developers  recommended  for  bromide  paper  on 
Page  135- 

The  image  will  appear  in  a  few  seconds.  The  development  should  be 
continued  until  the  black  parts  begin  to  get  opaque  by  transmitted  light,  or 
about  one  or  two  minutes,  then  the  developer  should  be  poured  off  and  the 
plate  flooded  with  clean,  cold  water.  After  rinsing  it  three  or  four  times  it 
should  be  put  into  another  tray  and  covered  with  the 


FIXING  BATH. 

Hypo-sulphite  Soda, . 4  ozs. 

Water,  -  . 16  ozs. 

This  should  be  allowed  to  act  for  five  minutes,  or  until  the  plate  is  clear 
and  free  from  milkiness.  Then  the  plate  should  be  soaked  in  four  changes 
clean  water  for  twenty  minutes  and  stood  upon  edge  to  dry,  when  it  will  be 
ready  for  mounting. 


Notes.— The  only  experience  needed  to  make  good  lantern  slides  by  this  process,  is  to  learn  just  how 
long  to  expose  in  the  priming  frame.  Negatives  vary  somewhat  in  density,  and  the  time  given  in  the 
directions  is  for  the  average  density.  Thicker  negatives  require  more,  and  thinner  less  time.  Enough 
time  must  be  given  for  the  light  to  strike  through  all  but  the  densest  parts  of  the  negatives.  A  few  trials 
with  a  good  slide  for  a  guide  will  enable  the  learner  to  judge  correctly  what  time  to  give  the  different 
negatives.  The  developer  should  be  used  fresh  mixed  for  each  slide.  Enough  of  the  fixing  bath  should 
be  used  to  fill  the  tray  half  full ;  it  should  be  thrown  away  at  the  end  of  the  evening's  operations. 


MOUNTING  THE  SLIDE. 

When  dry,  lay  the  slide  face  down  on  one  side  of  the  prepared  covers 
having  the  mask  on  it,  so  as  to  have  it  come  between  the  glasses.  Then 
moisten  the  gummed  edges  and  fold  them  over  the  slide. 

PREPARED  COVER  GLASSES. 

Eastman’s  prepared  cover  glasses  have  mats  and  gummed  binders 
attached,  and  will  be  found  a  great  convenience. 


Some  Practical  Hints  on  Winter 

Photography. 

BY  RUDOLF  EICKEMEYER,  JR. 


Serving  as  judge  at  the  various  photographic  exhibitions  and  competi¬ 
tions — as  it  has  quite  often  been  my  lot — it  has  always  excited  my  wonder  ; 
why  the  majority  of  amateurs  so  utterly  fail  to  comprehend  the  beauties  of 
a  season  which  has  always  seemed  the  loveliest  one  to  me. 

No  other  season  lends  itself  so  well  to  pictorial  interpretations  as  that 
of  the  “  inverted  year.”  In  the  months  of  spring  the  scenes  of  nature  are 

so  tender  and  fragile, 
that  they  nearly  always 
elude  the  grasp  of  the 
camera.  Who  for  in¬ 
stance  has  ever  suc¬ 
ceeded  in  giving  a  true 
depiction  of  the  burst  of 
tree  blossoms  in  early 
spring?  Summer  with 
its  heavy  foliage,  its 
dense  light  and  shadow 
has  proven  a  despair  to 
many  a  pictorialist.  And 
autumn  with  its  intense 
coloring  cannot  be  re¬ 
corded  accurately  as  its 
charm  dependstoo 
much  on  color  values, 
which  are  exceedingly 
difficult  to  render  in 
toned  gradations. 

Also  the  sterner 
aspects  of  nature,  rain 
and  storm  in  their  mani- 

The  Path  thro'  the  Sheep  Pasture.  RUDOLF  eickemeyer,  jr. 

By  courtesy  of  Harper  &  Brothers.  Copyright  IQOJ,  by  Harper  &  Brothers.  fold  phclSCS  cHlQ  VcHTcl- 


SOME  PRACTICAL  HINTS  ON  WINTER  PHOTOGRAPHY.  145 


dons  can  only  under  rare  circumstances  be  successfully  treated  during 
these  seasons. 

But  in  winter  every  difficulty  seems  to  fade  away.  From  the  time 
when  the  first  snowflakes  flutter  noiselessly  to  the  ground,  to  the  last  thaw, 
when  the  hepatica  timidly  blooms  amidst  patches  of  melting  snow,  every 
wood,  every  change  of  atmosphere,  every  vagary  of  form  which  the  snow- 
covered  earth  is  subjected  to,  can  be  held  by  the  camera.  It  is  the  season 
for  realistic  interpretations. 

True  realism  always  enhances  the  pictorial  and  aesthetic  qualities  as  well, 
and  by  aesthetic  interpretations  I  mean  a  combination  of  all  those  elements 
which  change  the  ordinary  photograph  into  a  revelation  of  pictorial  beauty. 


Golden  Rod.  rudolf  eickemeyer,  jr. 

By  courtesy  0/  Harper  &  Brothers.  Copyright  upoj,  by  Harper  &  Brothers. 


In  winter,  nature  appears  to  the  experienced  eye  like  a  delightful  composi¬ 
tion  in  monochrome.  The  whole  gamut  of  tones  is  there,  from  purest  white 
to  deepest  black,  imperceptibly  blended  into  each  other,  even  those  where 
the  contrasts  are  strongest.  And  it  is  for  this  reason  that  the  rendering  of 
winter  scenes,  in  my  opinion,  can  be  handled  with  equal  skill  and  success  by 
the  photographer  as  by  the  colorist,  or  the  illustrator  who  uses  black  and 
white  as  a  medium. 

The  fault  of  amateurs,  on  the  whole,  is  that  they  strive  too  much  for 
extraordinary  effects,  they  insist  on  strange  snow  formations  and  queerly 
shaped  icicles,  and  depieft  rather  the  idiosyncrasies  than  the  poetical  moods 
of  winter. 

And  yet  beauty  is  lurking  everywhere  in  all  of  winter's  multitudinous 
phases.  Nearly  all  my  pictures  were  taken  in  the  vicinity  of  my  own  home. 


146  SOME  PRACTICAL  HINTS  ON  WINTER  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


The  simplest  scene,  when  the  ground  is  only  covered  by  a  light  snowfall,  has 
its  intrinsic  pictorial  value.  The  white  snow  cover  blends  everything  into  a 
perfedl  harmony.  Look  for  instance  at  the  path  through  the  sheep  pasture 
after  the  first  snowfall.  You  hardly  recognize  the  old  familiar  scenes.  And 
yet  every  detail  has  been  preserved.  The  snow  has  fallen  evenly  all  over 
the  landscape  and  not  obliterated  a  single  feature.  Every  undulation  can 
be  traced,  but  everything  is  softened,  as  seen  through  a  veil.  The  twigs 

and  branches  are  still 
bare,  but  even  while 
deprived  of  all  their 
emerald  glow,  they  are 
not  lacking  in  beauty, 
and  their  structural 
forms  are  now  seen  to 
their  best  advantage  and 
the  long  exaggerated  sil¬ 
houettes  of  their  shad¬ 
ows  lend  a  peculiar 
weird  and  primitive 
character  to  the  scene. 

Those  who  are  fond 
of  broad  effedls,  will 
find  ample  material  after 
a  heavy  snowfall.  As 
soon  as  the  snow  is 
deep,  all  details  practic¬ 
ally  vanish  and  every¬ 
thing  is  seen  in  masses, 
which  enable  the  pictor- 
ialist  to  suggest  desola¬ 
tion  and  immensity 
more  easily  than 
through  any  other 
medium. 

Some  of  my  most  successful  pictures  have  been  taken  in  heavy  snow 
storms,  and  under  very  trying  circumstances.  More  than  once  I  have  been 
obliged  to  brush  the  snow  flakes  out  of  the  lens  before  setting  the  shutter 
and  drawing  the  slide.  But  all  these  little  inconveniences  turn  into  a 
delight  if  we  consider  how  favorable  the  conditions  really  are  for  making  a 
good  negative.  The  luminosity  of  the  atmosphere  is  remarkable.  Even  to 
one  experienced  in  such  matters  I  find  it  a  new  source  of  wonder  each  time 
I  venture  out  on  a  snowy  winter’s  day.  The  whole  landscape  may  be 


The  Shadows  of  the  Trees.  rudolk  eickemeyer,  jr. 

By  courtesy  of  Harper  &  Brothers.  Copyright  IOOJ,  by  Harper  &•  Brothers. 


SOME  PRACTICAL  HINTS  ON  WINTER  PHOTOGRAPHY ,  147 


obscured  by  snow  flakes  and  the  sun  invisible  and  yet  it  is  possible  to  take 
snapshots,  even  with  a  lens  of  moderate  speed. 

But  for  the  amateur  in  quest  of  pidlorial  beauties  it  is  not  absolutely 
necessary  to  brave  the  inclemency  of  the  winter’s  storms.  The  play  of  sun¬ 
light,  of  the  winter  landscape,  and  these  efforts  can  be  studied  on  a  quiet 
day  when  it  is  only  moderately  cold. 

How  clear  every  stem  and  stalk  is  outlined  against  the  snow.  Never 
was  there  a  greater  opportunity  to  study  the  structural  forms  of  trees  and 
shrubbery.  Everything  seems  to  be  crowded  with  detail,  even  the  simplest 
weeds  gain  a  pictorial  significance,  and  the  golden  rod,  mere  fragments  of 
their  former  beauty, 
charm  every  student  of 
nature  by  their  white, 
flowery  appearance. 

What  is  most  neces¬ 
sary  to  make  a  success¬ 
ful  pidlure  is  to  seledf 
a  view  which  does  not 
embrace  too  wade  a  field, 
and  so  run  the  chance 
of  being  over-crowded 
with  detail. 

“The  Shadows  of 
the  Trees’’  depidts  a 
favorite  spot  near  my 
home.  It  is  beautiful 
at  all  times  of  the  year, 
but  never  more  so  than 
in  winter.  And  it  is 
during  the  late  after¬ 
noon  hours  when  it  is 
seen  to  the  best  advan¬ 
tage.  The  picturesque 
formations  of  snow  at 
the  edge  of  the  brook, 
the  slanting  shadows, 
and  the  cluster  of  the  trees  in  the  distance,  with  the  refledlion  in  the  water, 
would  appeal  to  every  nature  lover. 

I  show  this  pidture  to  impress  the  reader  with  the  fadl  that  in  winter, 
as  in  the  other  seasons,  there  is  a  time  of  day  when  a  landscape  appears  at 
its  best,  and  to  successfully  interpret  it  one  should  be  there  at  that  time. 

Beautiful  things  can  be  found  even  at  one’s  very  door.  I  only  need  to 


My  Garden.  rudolf  eickemeyer,  jr. 

By  courtesy  of  Harper  &  Brothers.  Copyright  1903,  by  Harper  &  Brothers. 


148  SOME  PRACTICAL  HINTS  ON  WINTER  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


step  into  my  garden.  Even  there  the  activity  of  winter  has  been  in  full 
play,  and  changed  it  into  a  fairy  land.  Each  branch  is  encased  in  a  sheet 
of  pure  crystal,  which  glows  and  glistens  in  the  early  morning  sun. 

Skies  are  usually  one  of  the  greatest  difficulties  the  beginner  has  to 
encounter  and  are  usually  lost  in  developing,  in  the  effort  to  bring  out  the 
rest  of  the  landscape.  In  his  winter  negatives,  however,  he  will  be  generally 
agreeably  surprised  at  the  truthful  rendering  of  his  skies.  This  is  easy 
enough  to  explain.  In  summer,  on  account  of  increased  adlinic  adtivity,  the 
sky  requires  only  a  fradlion  of  the  exposure  which  the  foreground  and 
objedts  demand.  But  in  winter,  sky  and  snow  are  for  all  pradtical  purposes 
of  the  same  adtinic  quality,  and  their  relative  values  are  therefore  compara¬ 
tively  easy  to  express. 

As  to  the  technical  methods  to  be  pursued  in  snow  photography,  a  few 
words  will  be  gladly  accepted  by  all  beginners.  The  first  qualification  is  to  be 
comfortably  clothed.  My  attire  is  such  that  I  can,  if  necessary,  go  into  the 
wet  places  and  come  home  dry  shod.  My  camera  is  8  x  10  in  size,  which  I 
have  used  with  admirable  success,  always  with  a  tripod.  1  he  camera,  plate 
holder  and  tripod  are  of  leather,  to  protedt  them  from  moisture.  As  an 
additional  safeguard,  the  plate  holders  are  encased  in  felt  covers.  Occasion¬ 
ally  I  have  made  use  of  a  No.  3  Kodak,  and  found  it  a  very  handy  instru¬ 
ment,  especially  in  stormy  weather  ;  the  results  were  all  that  could  be 
desired,  and  were  it  not  that  my  photographs  are  largely  for  exhibition  and 
book  and  magazine  illustrations,  I  should  not  burden  myself  with  any  other 
apparatus.  It  answers  all  pradtical  purposes,  and  is  capable  of  producing 
any  effedt  possible  with  a  larger  camera. 

I  have  found  the  films  backed  with  paper  a  decided  advantage,  espe¬ 
cially  when  photographing  toward  the  sun. 

I  am  frequently  asked  what  developer  I  use  to  produce  my  effedts. 
My  developer  is  a  simple  Pyro-Soda  solution.  In  nine  out  of  ten  cases 
when  a  negative  is  faulty,  it  is  not  the  fault  of  the  developer.  It  is  gener¬ 
ally  a  case  of  under-exposure  or  the  fact  that  the  plate  has  been  over¬ 
exposed  and  not  carried  far  enough  in  development.  I  have  also  used  one- 
solution  developers,  and  after  becoming  acquainted  with  their  peculiarities, 
have  found  them  pradlically  as  good  as  the  one  I  am  in  the  habit  of  using. 
School  yourself  to  time  your  exposures  properly,  then  your  normal  devel¬ 
oper  will  give  you  good  results. 

But  I  cannot  repeat  often  enough.  Don’t  imagine  that  everything 
depends  on  the  lens  or  developer.  Remember  what  Emerson,  the  Father 
of  Pidtorial  Photography,  has  so  pertinently  said,  “  that  we  were  born  blind 
and  we  must  educate  ourselves  to  see.”  I  am  prone  to  believe  that  he  has 
uttered  a  great  truth  in  these  simple  words.  Among  the  thousands  of 
photographs  that  have  passed  through  my  hands,  I  have  seen  many  that 


SOME  PRACTICAL  HINTS  ON  WINTER  PHOTOGRAPHY.  149 


failed  in  becoming  good  compositions,  merely  because  the  photographer 
had  just  missed  the  proper  point  of  view,  which  would  have  eliminated  some 
objectionable  objeCt.  Therefore  educate  yourselves  to  see ,  and  you  will 
suddenly  discover  the  beauties  inherent  in  the  amplest  winter  scene.  And 
no  matter  what  weather  you  experience,  nor  how  small  the  patch  of  ground 
may  be  to  which  you  are  confined,  you  will  always  find  more  than  ample 
material  to  make  a  good  picture. 


"The  Brook."  rudolf  eickkmeyer,  jr. 

By  courtesy  of  /for per  Sr  Brothers.  Copyright  tg03,  by  Harper  Sr  Brothers. 


Nature  With  A  Kodak. 

BY  A.  RADCLYFFE  DUGMORE. 

PART  I. 

FLOWERS,  CUT  AND  GROWING. 

CUT  FLOWERS. 

Perhaps  few  branches  of  photography  are  more  neglected  than  the 
picturing  of  cut  flowers.  Why  it  should  be  so  is  not  easy  to  say.  The 
difficulties  are  not  so  very  great  and  every  owner  of  a  Kodak  can  be  sure  of 
success  after  a  little  careful  experimenting.  With  34x5  Kodak,  pictures 
suitable  for  lantern  slides  can  readily  be  made.  In  few  ways  can  the  work 
of  the  camera  be  made  more  delightful  than  by  means  of  the  lantern  slide, 
and  certainly  flowers  better  than  any  other  subject  lend  themselves  to  slides, 
especially  when  they  are  to  be  colored.  The  accessories  necessary  in 
photographing  cut  flowers  are,  first,  several  backgrounds  of  suitable  shades 
ranging  from  very  dark  green  to  white.  An  absolutely  black  background 
is  not  to  be  recommended  as  it  makes  the  contrast  too  strong.  Second,  a 
few  well  shaped  vases  for  the  more  slender  plants.  Third,  a  flat  dish  about 
one  or  two  inches  deep,  with  a  few  strips  of  lead,  one  inch  wide  and  four  or 
five  inches  long.  These  bent  in  zig-zag  form  can  be  used  to  support  many 
kinds  of  flowers  that  have  fairly  rigid  stems,  by  simply  pressing  the  lead 
against  the  stem,  and  allow  of  very  decorative  arrangement.  It  will  be 
found  extremely  difficult  to  support  such  delicate  flowers  as  anemones,  and 
I  would  advise  the  use  of  a  piece  of  glass  laid  at  a  slight  incline  so  that  the 
flower  will  rest  on  it.  Then  the  camera  may  be  tipped  until  at  right  angles 
to  the  glass.  The  background  can  be  placed  at  a  distance  of  not  less  than 
18  inches  back  of  the  flowers.  Very  dark  backgrounds  will  show  reflections 
cast  on  the  glass,  so  they  cannot  be  recommended.  Should  you  wish  a 
dark  effect  it  may  be  procured  by  using  a  fairly  light  non-actinic  color  such 
as  orange.  In  selecting  backgrounds  be  sure  they  are  free  from  noticeable 
texture  so  far  as  possible,  and  to  render  them  still  softer  in  quality  place 
them  at  considerable  distance  from  the  subject,  that  is,  entirely  out  of  focus, 
remembering  that  the  further  they  are  from  the  subject  upon  which  the 
camera  is  focused,  the  daiker  they  will  appear  in  the  picture. 


NA  TURK  WITH  A  KODAK. 


The  ray  filter  or  color  screen  is  occasionally  advisable  even  with  films 
which  have  orthochromatic  qualities.  Probably  no  part  of  the  amateur’s 
outfit  is  less  understood  than  the  ray  filter,  so  let  me  say  that  when  photo¬ 
graphing  an  orange  flower  with  dark  green  leaves,  the  filter  is  absolutely 
unnecessary  ;  it  simply  prolongs  the  exposure  without  accomplishing  any¬ 
thing,  but  when  the  subject  is  a  white  flower  of  delicate  form  and  texture 
with  dark  leaves,  then 
use  the  lemon  colored 
filter  in  order  to  hold 
back  the  white,  which 
would  otherwise  be 
over-exposed  if  the 
green  leaves  secured 
their  correct  exposure  ; 
in  other  words,  only  use 
the  ray  filter  when  there 
are  extreme  differences 
in  color.  Blue  flowers 
will  appear  lighter  than 
they  really  are  unless 
the  color  screen  is  used. 

In  placing  the  flowers 
do  not  be  afraid  of  trying 
different  effects  of  light. 

Even  sunlight  may  be 
used  at  times  with 
pleasing  results.  White 
flowers  should  seldom 
have  the  light  from  the 
direction  of  the  camera, 
whereas  rich  red  or 
orange  ones  need  all  the 

light  they  can  get.  Bear  kodak.  a.  radclyffe  wgmore. 

in  mind  that  flowers  of 

nearly  all  kinds  tremble  at  the  least  movement  of  air  or  vibration,  so  stand 
absolutely  still  during  the  exposure  and  have  all  the  windows  closed. 
These  precautions  will  save  many  failures.  In  gathering  wild  flowers  for 
photographic  use  place  them  in  a  cool  cellar  over  night  either  in  water  or 
in  a  box  containing  wet  cloth  or  paper,  and  cover  with  some  wet  material 
which  should  not  be  in  contact  with  the  flowers.  Don’t  use  cotton  batting, 
as  small  particles  adhere  to  the  plants  and  show  with  startling  clearness  in 
the  picture. 


J52 


NA  TURE  WITH  A  KODAK. 


GROWING  FLOWERS. 

In  order  to  be  successful  in  photographing  growing  flowers,  it  is 
absolutely  essential  to  choose  only  days  when  there  is  no  wind.  The 
slightest  breeze  makes  the  work  unsatisfactory,  if  not  impossible.  Clear 
sunlight  or  cloudy  days  are  both  good  for  the  work,  the  latter  giving  in 
most  cases  the  best  results.  In  nearly  all  cases  where  growing  flowers  are 
to  be  photographed,  it  is  necessary  to  use  a  small  diaphragm,  owing  to  the 
nearness  of  the  subject  and  to  the  fact  that  so  great  a  range  has  to  be  in 
focus.  This  particularly  applies  to  flowers  growing  near  the  ground,  such  as 
violets,  hepatica,  anemones,  etc. 

Any  ordinary  good  lens  will  answer  for  this  work  almost  as  well  as  the 
newest  lens  of  wonderful  speed.  Depth  of  focus  is  what  is  wanted,  and  the 
more  rapid  the  lens  the  less  its  depth  of  focus,  so  that  it  has  to  be  stopped 
down  until  it  works  at  the  same  speed  as  the  cheaper  lens.  This  fact  is 
mentioned  simply  because  the  writer  has  been  frequently  asked  “Whether 
pictures  of  growing  flowers  can  be  made  with  the  regular  lens  supplied  with 
the  Kodaks.  ’  ’  Snap  shots  at  growing  flowers  are  usually  out  of  the  question, 
a  time  exposure  being  necessary  in  nearly  every  case,  therefore  it  will  be 
seen  that  for  this  branch  of  work  the  tripod  is  necessary  to  support  the 
camera,  or  it  may  be  advisable  to  use  stones  or  other  convenient  support  so 
that  the  lens  will  be  about  level  with  the  middle  of  the  plant.  In  cases  of 
this  kind  it  may  be  found  desirable  to  employ  a  background.  For  this 
purpose  use  a  roll  of  gray  cloth  supported  by  two  sticks,  which  may  be 
gathered  when  needed,  or  better  still  have  two  light  rods  fitted  with  metal 
points.  It  is  occasionally  necessary  to  accentuate  the  fact  that  the  flower  is 
near  the  ground,  as  in  the  case  of  the  trailing  arbutus.  For  this  purpose  an 
acorn  or  chestnut  placed  in  an  unobtrusive  position  will  answer,  and  the 
picture  will  give  the  correct  idea  of  the  flower’s  form  of  growth,  which,  after 
ail,  is  the  object  in  photographing  flowers  in  situ.  Large  plants  will  be 
found  easier  to  photograph  than  small  ones,  as  the  camera  does  not  have  to 
be  so  near,  and  consequently  the  depth  of  the  focus  is  greater. 


PART  II. 

BIRDS. 

With  the  growing  interests  in  birds,  there  is  the  desire  by  many  camera 
owners  to  go  in  for  bird  photography,  and  we  see  the  results  of  this  fasci¬ 
nating  work  throughout  the  country.  For  the  beginner  I  would  not  advise 


NATURE  WITH  A  KODAK. 


153 


launching  directly  into  photographing  the  wild  birds,  but  start  at  the  easiest 
part,  which  is  the  nest,  first  without  the  young  birds,  and  gradually  work 
up  to  taking  the  parent  birds  feeding  their  young  in  the  nest,  and  so  on 
from  that  to  picturing  the  adult  birds  in  their  wild  state  away  from  the  nest. 
The  road  is  a  long  one  and  will  require  great  patience  and  perseverance. 
These  few  hints  are  the  result  of  many  years  of  really  hard  work  on  the 
part  of  the  writer,  and  are  offered  with  the  hope  that  they  may  shorten  the 
beginner’s  road  of  experience. 


THE  NEST. 

For  nest  photography  a  tripod  is  in  nearly  all  cases  necessary,  other¬ 
wise  you  have  under-exposed  films  through  trying  to  make  snap  shots  when 
a  time  exposure  is  demanded.  In  selecting  your  point  of  view,  place  the 
camera  so  that  if  possible  the  eggs  are  just  visible.  Do  not,  however,  move 
the  eggs  to  suit  your  convenience,  and  do  not  try  to  get  a  full  view  of  every 
egg  and  all  the  nest.  Let  the  photograph  show  decidedly  the  environ¬ 
ments  of  the  nest,  even  if  you  have  to  introduce  something  to  accentuate  it. 
Just  as  with  the  low  growing  flowers,  the  fact  that  a  ground  nest  is  on  the 
ground  is  made  evident  by  the  introduction  of  a  chestnut  burr  or  some  such 
object.  If  the  nest  is  in  a  very  low  bush,  perhaps  within  twelve  or  fourteen 
inches  of  the  ground,  then  a  daisy  (if  the  nest  is  in  the  open)  will  make  this 
fact  clear.  Avoid  cutting  away  vegetation  about  the  nest,  as  it  will  expose 
it  to  possible  thieves  as  well  as  the  elements.  Bend  such  twigs  as  are  in 
your  way.  When  the  nest  to  be  photographed  is  above  the  reach  of  a 
tripod  you  may  find  it  necessary  to  secure  the  camera  to  a  branch,  to  do 
which  a  ball  and  socket  clamp  device  is  most  convenient.  We  frequently 
find  nests  placed  towards  the  outward  end  of  a  branch  just  beyond  the 
height  of  the  camera.  If  the  branch  is  not  too  stiff  it  may  be  drawn  down 
by  means  of  a  cord,  but  as  this  has  the  effect  of  tilting  the  nest  to  an 
unnatural  angle,  it  is  well  to  prop  up  the  branch  with  a  forked  stick  placed 
between  the  nest  and  where  the  cord  is  fastened.  Always  be  careful  to 
notice  whether  the  wind  sways  the  branch  containing  the  nest.  If  it  does, 
secure  the  branch  in  one  position,  either  by  cord  or  prop,  before  focusing. 
To  make  a  successful  picture  of  a  ground  nest,  let  the  camera  be  very  near 
the  ground,  within  a  foot  if  necessary. 

NESTS  CONTAINING  YOUNG  BIRDS. 

From  the  nest  with  its  motionless  contents  of  eggs,  we  turn  to  portray¬ 
ing  the  fledglings,  and  here  we  have  a  suggestion  of  what  troubles  are 
before  us.  The  constant  movement  of  the  young  birds  (due  to  their  rapid 
respiration)  makes  it  necessary  to  give  a  very  short  exposure.  This  sounds 


154 


NA  TURE  WITH  A  ROD  AH. 


easy  enough  until  you  realize  that  nests  are  usually  in  well  shaded  places 
where  even  with  the  lens  wide  open  a  time  exposure  would  be  needed.  It 
does  not  do  to  bend  back  the  surrounding  foliage  in  order  to  admit  sunlight, 
because  the  young  birds  cannot  endure  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  even  though 
they  are  half  grown  they  would  scamper  out  of  the  nest,  and  frequently 
refuse  to  remain  in  it  after  being  replaced,  with  the  result  that  they  would 
probably  die.  Have  everything  entirely  ready,  then  at  the  moment  of 
making  the  exposure,  try  to  get  some  light  on  the  nest  by  bending  back 
the  overshading  twigs  for  just  an  instant.  By  using  white  cloth  reflectors 
beneath  the  nests  the  dense  shadows  may  be  somewhat  softened.  If  you 
find  you  can  get  enough  light  to  allow  of  an  instantaneous  exposure,  it  is 
interesting  to  photograph  the  fledglings  with  their  heads  raised.  This  can 
usually  be  effected  by  making  a  note  more  or  less  like  the  parent  bird’s, 
though  frequently  the  mere  moving  of  a  twig  will  be  sufficient  to  cause  the 
youngsters  to  open  their  mouths  and  raise  their  heads  in  anticipation  of 
food.  Be  sure  to  focus  on  the  birds  that  are  nearest  the  camera,  so  they,  at 
least,  will  be  sharply  defined. 

THE  PARENT  BIRD  ON  THE  NEST. 

Here  we  have  a  phase  of  bird  photography  in  which  the  actual  photo¬ 
graphic  skill  needed  is  not  so  very  great,  that  is,  there  are  not  great 
photographic  difficulties  to  overcome,  but  one’s  success  depends  almost 
entirely  upon  the  will  of  the  bird.  Some  birds  (either  individual  or  species) 
are  afraid  of  the  camera  and  others  are  not.  Those  that  are  afraid  of  it  will 
sometimes  abandon  their  young  rather  than  approach  the  nest  while  the 
camera  is  near.  I  have  devoted  a  whole  week  in  unsuccessful  endeavor  to 
secure  a  photograph  of  a  towhee  on  its  nest.  Even  if  the  camera  is  care¬ 
fully  concealed  with  leaves  and  a  long  tube  used  for  the  shutter,  the  chance 
of  getting  the  picture  must  still  depend  on  the  bird’s  disposition.  Taking 
a  bird  of  average  tameness,  the  easiest  way  is  to  still  hunt  with  the  camera, 
approaching  very  gently  and  making  no  certain  movements.  In  this  way 
I  have  taken  a  6)4  x8  )4  camera  on  its  tripod  to  within  three  feet  of  the 
bird  and  secured  the  picture.  Do  not  attempt  to  make  instantaneous 
exposures,  as  they  are  unnecessary,  and  even  if  light  is  sufficiently  clear  to 
allow  an  exposure  of  a  quarter  or  half  a  second,  it  is  better  to  use  a  smaller 
diaphragm  and  a  much  longer  exposure,  because  at  the  click  of  the  shutter 
the  bird  will  usually  move  its  head.  This  movement  would  show  in  half 
second  exposure,  but  not  in  one  of  say  ten  seconds.  At  the  moment  of 
taking  the  picture,  attract  the  bird’s  attention  by  holding  a  handkerchief  or 
some  conspicuous  object  perfectly  still  in  such  a  position  that  the  bird  can 
see  it. 


NA  TURE  WITH  A  KOjDAK. 


155 


YOUNG  AND  OLD  BIRDS  TOGETHER. 

It  is  at  this  stage  in  bird  photography  that  one’s  troubles  really  begin. 
And  yet  to  make  one  success  gives  so  much  satisfaction  that  the  cost  of 
failures  is  easily  forgotten.  When  the  young  birds  are  in  their  nest  they 
are  of  course  entirely  dependent  upon  their  parents  for  food,  and  the  parents, 
according  to  their  natural  instinct,  will  usually  face  almost  any  danger  rather 
than  let  their  young  starve  (though  some  individual  birds  will  never  visit 
their  nests  in  the  presence  of  a  person  or  even  a  camera).  Taking  advantage 
of  this  well  known  fact,  we  can  usually  count  on  seeing  the  old  and  young 
together  about  the  nest  at  frequent  intervals  during  the  day,  but  to  see 
them  and  photograph  them  are  two  very  different  things.  The  difficulties 
are  many,  so  many  indeed,  that  only  the  enthusiast  braves  them  after  the 
first  few  attempts.  Owing  to  the  constant  movement  of  the  birds,  both  old 
and  young,  only  the  shortest  exposure  may  be  given,  and  as  the  nests  are 
almost  always  in  shaded  places,  the  result  is  under-exposure.  Once  the 
birds  have  become  accustomed  to  your  presence,  they  will  not  be  easily 
frightened,  and  will  allow  the  use  of  white  cloths  as  reflectors  or  even  as 
backgrounds,  thus  avoiding  the  splotchy  black  and  white  backgrounds  that 
one  usually  sees  in  bird  pictures.  Certain  writers  advocate  moving  the  nest 
containing  the  young  to  a  well  lighted  place  where  instantaneous  exposures 
can  be  made.  This  method  would  lead  to  the  destruction  of  so  much  bird 
life  that  under  no  condition  should  it  be  done  for  the  mere  pleasure  of 
getting  pictures,  or  by  persons  not  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  ways  of 
the  birds.  Rather  than  risk  injuring  the  birds,  accept  the  situation  as  it  is, 
and  do  the  best  you  can,  for  there  can  be  no  satisfaction  in  securing  even 
really  good  pictures  if  it  is  done  at  the  cost  of  the  lives  of  the  birds.  If  you 
intend  to  give  anything  over  one-tenth  of  a  second’s  exposure,  it  is  a  good 
plan  to  make  a  clicking  noise,  rather  louder  than  that  made  by  the  shutter, 
for  many  seconds  before  making  the  actual  exposure.  By  this  means  the 
birds  will  become  accustomed  to  the  noise  and  will  not  be  so  apt  to  make  a 
quick  movement  when  the  shutter  is  released. 

BIRDS  ON  THE  WING. 

If  you  would  gain  the  greatest  pleasure  to  be  found  in  nature  photog¬ 
raphy,  try  coaxing  the  wild  birds  on  to  your  hand,  and  then  secure  photo¬ 
graphs  of  them.  It  is  not  so  difficult  as  it  sounds.  First,  get  the  birds 
accustomed  to  you.  Then  when  the  young  are  about  to  leave  their  nests, 
take  one  or  more  on  your  hand,  and  you  will  be  surprised  how  soon  the 
parents  will  come  to  feed  them.  If  you  are  alone,  focus  your  camera  on  some 
object  about  where  you  expect  to  place  your  hand,  then  at  the  moment 
when  the  bird  is  in  the  position  you  wish,  release  the  shutter  by  means  of  a 


(id 


NA  TURK  WITH  A  KODAK. 


156 

long  rubber  tube.  In  this,  as  in  all  other  bird  photography,  the  individuality 
of  the  bird  counts  for  a  great  deal.  I  have  always  found  that  chickadees, 
chipping  sparrows  and  blue  winged  warblers  would  always  come  with  a 
little  coaxing,  while  towhees,  chats  and  Maryland  yellow  throats  and  many 
others  have  never  shown  the  slightest  confidence. 

OLD  AND  YOUNG  AWAY  FROM  THE  NEST. 

Once  the  young  have  left  their  nest,  there  are  about  two  days  before 
they  learn  to  fly  well  enough  to  keep  out  of  one’s  reach.  This  is  the  ideal 
time  for  getting  photographs  of  them,  as  they  are  just  as  dependent  on  their 
parents  for  food  as  they  were  while  in  the  nest.  The  first  thing  to  do  is  to 
catch  one  (or  more  if  you  can)  of  the  brood.  Let  him  fly  if  he  wishes  until 
he  is  tired  ;  then  place  him  on  a  suitable  twig  and  after  you  have  your 
camera  ready,  call  the  parents.  Sometimes  they  will  come  and  sometimes 
they  won’t,  but  after  they  have  once  come  you  may  make  pictures  to  your 
heart’s  content.  They  will,  as  I  haveoften  seen  them,  perch  on  the  camera 
without  the  slightest  fear,  even  on  one’s  shoulder  or  hand  while  in  motion. 
Be  sure  in  arranging  the  camera  to  have  plenty  of  room  on  either  side  of 
the  youngsters  for  the  adult  bird.  It  is  better  to  have  too  much  than  too 
little  room.  Make  a  mark  on  the  twig  to  show  just  how  much  the  camera 
covers,  bearing  in  mind  that  in  feeding  the  young  the  bird  frequently 
perches  above  the  twig  upon  which  are  her  fledglings,  if  there  is  any  pos¬ 
sible  perching  place. 

While  you  have  the  young  in  your  power  is  a  good  time  to  make 
portraits  of  the  parents  alone,  using  the  young  as  the  lure,  of  course. 
Select  a  place  where  there  is  but  little  brush  and  no  conspicuous  twig  except 
the  one  on  which  you  have  placed  the  young  birds.  Then  place  a  twig  a 
few  feet  away  from  them,  and  the  chances  are  that  the  parent  bird  in  coming 
with  food  will  stop  each  time  for  a  moment  or  so  on  this  perching  place. 
If  you  would  make  still  more  sure  of  her  hesitating,  stand  or  arrange  the 
camera  quite  near  the  young  birds.  This  frequently  has  the  effect  of 
preventing  the  parent  bird  from  coming  too  readily.  Focus  the  camera  on 
the  part  of  the  twig  on  which  she  most  frequently  alights  and  watch  your 
chance.  When  I  say  focus  on  the  twig  I  mean  on  a  point  an  inch  or  so 
nearer  than  the  twig.  This  will  allow  for  the  size  of  the  bird,  whose  head 
will  project  at  least  that  distance. 

BIRDS  IN  CAPTIVITY. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem  a  bird  in  captivity  is  seldom  an  easy  subject  for 
the  camera  ;  little  less  difficult  in  fact  than  the  bird  in  its  wild  state.  A  pet 
blue  bird  which  I  once  owned  was  absolutely  tame  and  would  go  to  sleep  in 


NATURE  WITH  A  KODAK. 


i57 


my  partly-closed  hand,  and  yet  after  he  was  six  weeks  old,  I  was  never  able 
to  get  a  good  photograph  of  the  little  rascal  during  the  two  years  that  I 
kept  him.  After  having  tried  various  schemes  I  think  the  most  satisfactory 
one  (though  very  far  from  perfect)  is  a  long  cone-shaped  cage  made  of 
mosquito  netting  or  bobbinnet,  the  bottom  and  laiger  end  being  of  wood. 
This  wooden  end  is  for  the  background.  At  the  other  or  smaller  end  the 
netting  is  attached  to  the  lens  by  means  of  a  tape  or  rubber  band.  There 
must  be  an  opening  at  one  side  of  the  netting  so  that  you  can  arrange  the 
necessary  perch  with  the  twig  and  manipulate  the  bird.  The  whole  con¬ 
trivance  can  be  supported  on  two  wooden  horses  and  placed  so  that  the 
sun  will  come  from  any  desired  direction. 


KoDAli. 


Cool  Comfort.  a.  radclyffe  dugmore. 


PART  III. 

ANIMALS. 

As  a  sport,  wild  animal  photography  should  enjoy  a  far  greater  popu¬ 
larity  than  it  does,  for  anything  more  exciting  than  stalking  a  wild  animal 
with  the  camera  is  hard  to  imagine.  Usually  it  is  impossible  to  approach 
as  near  as  one  wishes  to  animals  in  their  native  haunts,  and  it  is  astonishing 


158 


NA  TURE  WITH  A  KODAK. 


how  close  one  needs  to  be  to  a  deer  for  instance,  with  the  lens  of  ordinary- 
focal  length,  in  order  to  secure  an  image  of  appreciable  size.  Every  year 
hundreds,  almost  thousands,  of  Kodak  photographs  of  deer  are  made,  and 
in  nearly  every  instance  the  owner  of  the  camera  is  surprised,  often  disgusted, 
at  the  insignificance  of  the  animal,  frequently  a  magnifying  glass  being 
necessary  before  its  whereabouts  can  be  discovered,  so  the  first  thing  to 
remember  is,  not  to  press  the  button  too  soon.  Wait  until  you  are  near 
enough  to  have  a  picture  of  the  animal.  Before  going  off  to  the  woods 


Kodak. 


Gray  Squirrel.  A.  radclyffe  dugmore. 

make  a  few  experimental  pictures  of  a  calf  at  different  distances  and  notice 
the  results.  Then  you  will  have  an  idea  of  what  you  may  expect  when 
photographing  a  deer.  The  hand  camera  telephoto  lens  can  be  used  when 
conditions  are  favorable,  that  is  to  say  when  there  is  plenty  of  light,  for  they 
are  very  slow,  and  instantaneous  exposures  can  only  be  made  under  most 
favorable  conditions.  Practically  speaking,  it  is  not  possible  to  make 
instantaneous  exposures  with  a  telephoto,  giving  a  magnification  of  more 
than  four  diameters.  In  using  a  telephoto  for  hand  camera  work  it  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  that  the  lens  should  be  extremely  rapid,  nothing  slower 
than  f.  6.8  being  of  any  real  use. 


NA  TURE  WITH  A  KODAK. 


*59 


In  all  wild  animal 
photography,  the  cam¬ 
era  has  to  be  kept  in 
complete  readiness,  fre¬ 
quently  for  many  hours 
at  a  time,  sometimes  for 
an  entire  day,  therefore 
it  is  advisable  to  keep 
the  camera  sheltered 
from  the  sun  as  much 
as  possible,  and  as  a 
further  precaution,  the 
lens  should  be  capped 
until  you  are  about  to 
make  the  exposure.  Do 
not  be  tempted  to  make 
instantaneous  exposures 
of  animals  in  the  woods, 
especially  if  there  is 
much  foliage.  Even  in 

winter,  when  the  ground  is  covered  with  snow,  snap  shots  in  heavily 
timbered  woods  are  not  as  a  rule  satisfactory. 

Small  animals,  such  as  squirrels,  mice,  rabbits  and  others  are  all  inter¬ 
esting  subjects  for  the  camera,  but  to  give  any  idea  of  the  methods  employed, 
would  be  to  give  a  life  history  of  each  animal.  Experience  alone  must  be 
the  teacher. 


Kodak. 

Snapping  Turtle . 


A.  RADCLYFFK  DUGMORE. 


PART  IIII. 

FISH. 

Here  we  have  the  easiest  branch  of  nature  photography.  Beautiful  fish 
pictures  can  be  made  by  any  one  having  ordinary  skill  with  the  Kodak. 
All  that  is  necessary  is  an  aquarium  which  may  be  made  in  the  form  of  a 
box  with  one  glass  side  and  a  movable  glass  partition  set  in  grooves  of  about 
three,  four  and  six  inches  from  the  front  glass.  This  allows  you  to  keep 
the  fish  near  the  front  so  that  it  will  be  in  focus.  It  also  prevents  the  back¬ 
ground  of  vegetation  being  disturbed  by  the  rapid  movements  of  the  fish 
when  it  is  first  placed  in  the  restricted  space.  This  vegetation  should,  of 
course,  be  selected  according  to  the  habitat  of  the  fish  you  wish  to  photo- 


i6o 


NA  TURE  WITH  A  KODAK. 


graph,  surface  fish  requiring  nothing  in  the  way  of  accessories,  while  those 
that  live  among  the  aquatic  plants  should  have  plants  as  accessories. 

The  aquarium  should  be  white  inside,  a  lining  of  white  oil  cloth  being 
about  the  most  satisfactory  material,  as  it  reflects  a  great  deal  of  light  and 
is  easily  cleaned.  Good  pictures  can  only  be  obtained  by  using  absolutely 
clear  water,  having  plenty  of  sunlight,  and  by  keeping  the  glass  clean  and 
dry.  The  slightest  moisture  on  the  glass  (due  to  condensation)  will  com¬ 
pletely  spoil  the  picture.  The  water  in  the  aquarium  must  be  kept  con¬ 
stantly  changed  or  aerated  by  vegetation,  or  the  fish  will  die.  The  tempera¬ 
ture  of  the  water  also  is  very  important.  With  fish  such  as  trout,  accustomed 
to  cold  water,  ice  should  be  used  so  that  the  temperature  will  not  be  over 
45  degrees.  Avoid  handling  the  fish  more  than  is  absolutely  necessary. 
If  you  have  to  take  them  in  your  hand,  grasp  them  firmly  with  both  hands 
so  that  they  cannot  wriggle,  but  the  better  way  is  to  use  a  small  landing  net. 
Place  your  camera  exactly  at  right  angles  to  the  glass,  and  if  you  have 
bright  sunlight,  give  short  exposures,  t|-q-  of  a  second  being  sufficient  with 
an  ordinary  flat  lens,  unless  the  vegetation  is  very  dark. 


Simplicity  in  Composition. 

BY  ALFRED  STIEGLITZ. 


The  request  of  the  publishers  of  this  book  to  write  for  them  an  article  of 
fifteen  hundred  words  upon  Simplicity  in  Composition,  reminds  me  of 
the  college  professor  who  was  accustomed  to  call  upon  his  students  for 
extempore  dissertations  upon  subjects  which  he  would  suddenly  propound. 
Unconscious  of  the  humor  of  his  demand,  he  one  day  called  upon  one 
of  his  favorite  scholars  in  the  following  terms  :  “  Mr.  Thompson,”  he  said, 
“your  time  will  be  five  minutes  and  your  subject,  ‘The  Immortality  of 
the  Soul.’  ”  I,  too,  can  sympathize  with  the  feelings  of  Mr.  Thompson, 
for  the  subject  of  Simplicity  in  Composition  is  as  difficult  and  complex  as  is 
often  the  most  simple  appearing  pictorial  composition. 

The  popular  conception  of  a  simple  pictorial  composition  is  apparently 
not  one  in  which  the  elements  are  reduced  to  the  fewest  possible  terms, 
but  one  in  which  such  elements  are  so  subtly  arranged  as  to  impress 
the  beholder  so  direCUy  and  forcibly  with  the  central  or  dominant  idea 
of  the  picture  that  everything  else,  even  though  covering  a  goodly  portion 
of  the  picture  area,  is  so  subordinated  as  to  appear  of  but  little  moment. 
To  achieve  such  a  result,  presents  to  the  artist  a  problem  which  becomes 
more  complex  in  proportion  to  the  so-called  simplicity  of  the  composition. 
In  fad,  one  can  truthfully  say  that  the  ratio  of  difficulty  varies  dire&ly 
as  the  square  of  the  simplicity.  Just  as  in  music  we  find  that  the  simpler  the 
theme,  the  more  thorough  must  be  the  knowledge  of  the  musician  in  order 
to  compose  acceptable  variations  thereon.  So,  in  fact,  in  every  art  this 
rule  obtains,  and  the  simpler  the  apparent  result — assuming,  of  course,  that 
such  result  is  really  beautiful — the  greater  are  the  care,  knowledge  and  taste 
required. 

The  problem  that  is  presented  is  practically  one  of  elimination.  To 
include  all  that  is  necessary  for  the  elucidation  of  the  composition  and 
to  exclude  everything  that  is  unessential  to  a  clear  statement  of  the 
dominant  underlying  idea,  taxes  the  abilities  of  even  the  best  artists  to  their 
utmost.  I  must  not  be  misunderstood  to  say  that  every  great  work  of  art 
must  necessarily  be  simple  in  its  composition,  for  many  of  the  great  master¬ 
pieces  in  painting  are  built  up  upon  very  complex  geometric  lines.  In  fact, 
the  nature  of  the  composition  is  largely  dependent  upon  the  subjeCt  and  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  intended  to  be  represented.  I  am  now  alluding 
mainly  to  linear  compositions,  there  being  also  tonal  compositions,  mass 
compositions,  color  compositions  and  combinations  of  ail  these.  This  holds 
true  in  varying  degree  in  photography  as  well  as  in  painting.  Those 


162 


SIMPLICITY  IN  COMPOSITION. 


modern  pidtorial  photographs  which  have  attracted  so  much  attention, 
especially  in  Europe,  because  of  their  composition  and  tonal  treatment,  have 
been  subjected  in  their  development  to  the  same  influences  that  have 
affedled  the  modern  painter  generally.  Their  keynote  is  simplicity  in 
arrangement  and  the  true  rendering  of  tonal  values. 

The  one  element  absolutely  essential  in  every  composition  is  balance, 
without  which  no  picture  can  ever  be  satisfying.  Lacking  this,  a  picture 
becomes  restless  and  irritating  and  the  beholder  turns  from  it  with  a  sense 
of  relief. 

No  formula  can  be  drawn  up  for  the  simplification  of  the  course 
of  study  necessary  to  an  understanding  of  what  constitutes  good  composi¬ 
tion.  To  a  natural  taste  must  be  added  a  careful  and  understanding  study 
of  the  best  accepted  work  of  all  forms  of  art,  old  and  new.  In  photography 
this  is  even  more  essential,  if  possible,  than  in  painting,  for  the  photog¬ 
rapher,  usually  working  in  monochrome,  has  not  the  resource  of  color 
upon  which  the  painter  can  draw.  Consequently,  the  only  advice  is 
to  study  the  best  pictures  in  all  media — from  painting  to  photography — and 
to  study  them  again  and  again,  analyze  them,  steep  yourself  in  them  until 
they  unconsciously  become  part  of  your  esthetic  being.  Then,  if  there  be 
any  trace  of  originality  within  you,  you  will  intuitively  adapt  what  you  have 
thus  made  a  part  of  yourself,  and  tindlured  by  your  personality  you  will 
evolve  that  which  is  called  style. 

The  ultimate  result  of  the  before-mentioned  elimination  will  bring  us  to 
a  representation  in  which  there  appears  one  single,  simple  objedt  w'hich 
the  average  photographer  would  say  was  incapable  of  composition  because 
it  stood  in  no  relation  to  anything  else.  In  this  he  is  woefully  mistaken. 
It  first  of  all  stands  in  relation  to  the  boundary  lines  of  his  print ;  and  in  the 
position  it  occupies,  it  divides  the  surface  into  spaces.  This  relation  con¬ 
stitutes  space  composition.  Next  it  stands  in  relation  to  its  background 
and  here  ends  the  problem  of  aerial  composition.  Again  it  must  be  illumi¬ 
nated  from  some  source  of  light  and  this  brings  in  the  problem  of  light  and 
shade  or  chiaroscuro.  Given  a  single  subject,  to  produce  with  these 
elements  alone  a  truly  big  picture  calls  for  the  display  of  the  greatest 
art.  So  apparently  simple  and  yet  important  are  the  elements  that  a  slight 
error  in  any  one  particular  assumes  the  proportion  of  a  gigantic  fault  and 
the  whole  composition  falls  to  pieces.  Herein  lies  one  of  the  fascinations  of 
Steichen’s  photographs.  In  his  direct  and  simple  handling  of  light  and 
shade  and  spacing  there  is  a  subtlety  of  which  even  the  average  photog¬ 
rapher  is  conscious  without  being  able  to  analyze  why.  This  lack  of 
understanding  is  often  due  to  all  lack  of  art  schooling  and  above  all  to  his 
want  of  proper  association.  Nothing  educates  and  refines  more  than  proper 
association. 


SIMPLICITY  IN  COMPOSITION. 


163 

Taking  now  our  single,  simple  object  and  introducing  another  simple 
object  into  the  composition,  there  immediately  springs  up  a  more  complex 
sense  of  relation.  The  newly  introduced  object  must  now  be  studied  not 
only  in  its  relation  to  the  three  factors  previously  enumerated  and  to  object 
No.  1,  but  its  relation  to  each  one  of  the  three  factors  operating  upon  our 
first  object.  This  becomes  thus  a  geometric  progressive  and  so  ad  infinitum. 
The  more  involved  these  relations  become,  the  less  important  are  errors  in 
these  minor  relations — yet  should  all  these  relations  be  harmonious  the 


The  Hand  of  Man. 


ALFRED  STIEGLITZ. 


result,  though  seemingly  simple,  is  wonderfully  fascinating  to  the  nature 
student  of  composition.  An  instance  of  this  can  be  found  in  Whistler’s 
“  Piano  Room  ”. 

I  have  often  been  told  that  one  of  the  main  characteristicts  of  my  own 
photographs  lay  in  their  simplicity  of  composition,  and  ‘  ‘  The  Hand  of  Man  ’  ’ 
is  frequently  instanced  as  an  example  of  this  quality.  As  the  lines  of 
composition  in  this  picture  are  anything  but  simple,  I  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  average  person  confounds  simplicity  and  directness 
of  subject  with  the  totally  different  quality  of  simplicity  in  composition. 


SIMPLICITY  IN  COMPOSITION. 


164 

Had  “  Gossip-Katwyk  ”  been  instanced  as  a  picture  showing  simplicity  in 
composition,  it  would  have  been  nearer  the  truth — yet  this  picture  presented 
to  me  in  its  composition  one  of  the  hardest  nuts  I  ever  tried  to  crack. 
Given  a  homelike,  everyday  subject  presenting  familiar  objects,  the  tendency 
is  to  cry  :  How  charmingly  simple  in  its  composition  !  Unconscious  of 
the  fact  that  the  subject  appeals  to  us  and  not  its  linear  or  even  pictorial 
treatment. 

And  now  I  must  return  to  my  anecdote  with  which  I  began.  So  com¬ 
plex  is  the  simple  subject  “  Simplicity  in  Composition  ”  that  these  stray  and 
random  thoughts  have  not  begun  even  to  outline  it.  There  is  one  piece  of 


Gossip-Katwyk. 


ALFRED  STIEGLITZ. 


simple  and  direct  advice  which  I  wish  to  iterate  and  re-iterate — for  I  believe 
this  is  written  for  one  who  has  mastered  the  A  B  C  of  the  technique  of 
photography  and  is  about  ready  to  dive  into  the  mysterious  deep  of  art  : 
Observe  the  work  of  recognized  artists — I  do  not  mean  look  at  it,  but 
observe  it — make  it  your  own.  Then  study  the  appearance  of  nature  more 
closely  than  ever  before — everywhere.  And  there  is  also  one  simple  and 
direct  warning  I  would  like  to  give  :  Avoid  books  on  composition  as  you 
would  the  plague,  lest  they  destroy  in  your  mind  all  other  considerations 
than  the  formulae  which  they  lay  down.  If  you  must  be  taught  by  others, 
not  being  able  to  teach  yourself,  seek  out  a  broad-minded  teacher,  but 
guard  your  originality  as  the  one  precious  possession  which  may  save  you 
from  turning  out  machine-made  work. 


Clouds  and  the  Landscape. 


The  subject  of  clouds  in  photography  is  one  that,  although  given  some 
thought  by  advanced  amateurs,  has  not  been  given  the  attention  which  it 
deserves.  It  is  not  alone  an  interesting  study,  but  it  is  necessary  that  one 
understand  how  to  produce  clouds  in  his  pictures  when  he  is  unable  to 
obtain  them  direCtly  in  the  negative.  Frequently  we  pick  up  a  landscape  ; 
both  the  composition  and  lighting  are  good  but  there  is  something  lacking 
in  order  to  give  that  harmony  which  is  so  essential  in  landscape  work. 
Above  the  landscape  we  see  a  blank  white  space  and  a  second  thought  sug¬ 
gests  that  a  cloudy  sky  would  have  given  a  finish  to  the  picture  that  could 
be  obtained  in  no  other  way. 

There  are  two  methods  of  obtaining  clouds  :  First,  to  photograph  the 
landscape  when  there  are  clouds  in  the  sky  ;  second,  to  obtain  the  clouds 
by  the  printing-in  process.  Both  have  their  advantages.  With  the  former 
the  great  difficulty  lies  in  being  able  to  give  an  exposure  that  will  allow  of 
obtaining  a  negative  having  a  sky  and  foreground  of  proper  relative  print¬ 
ing  densities.  In  most  cases  we  expose  for  detail  in  the  foreground  and  by 
so  doing  we  over-expose  the  sky,  and  the  result  is  that  that  portion  of  the 
negative  is  strong  or  dense  and  lacks  almost  entirely  in  detail.  If  we 
expose  for  the  clouds,  we  under-time  the  foreground. 

Kodoid  Plates  and  N.  C.  Film  are  particularly  adapted  to  this  class  of 
work  because  of  their  orthochromatic  qualities,  which  make  it  possible  to 
obtain  better  color  values.  This  results  in  a  negative  having  more  even 
density.  We  may  also  use  the  color  screen,  or  filter,  which  in  a  large 
degree  compensates  for  the  want  of  agreement  between  the  sensitiveness  of 
film  or  plate  and  the  sensitiveness  of  the  eye  relative  to  color.  1  he  best 
results,  however,  are  obtained  by  the  combination  of  Kodoid  Plates  or  N.  C. 
Film  and  the  color  screen.  Occasionally,  even  when  using  orthochromatic 
film  or  plates  in  connection  with  a  color  screen,  we  obtain  a  dense  sky,  due 
to  over-exposure  and  sometimes  to  over-development.  It  then  becomes 
necessary  to  reduce  the  strength  of  that  portion  of  the  negative  if  we  would 
obtain  detail  in  our  prints. 

The  following  formula  for  reducing  will  be  found  to  give  very  satis¬ 
factory  results  if  the  instructions  are  properly  carried  out  : 

To  i  oz.  of  Red  Prussiate  of  Potash  add  16  ozs.  of  water.  Dissolve 
and  keep  from  the  light  in  a  tightly  corked  bottle.  Then  make  a  separate 


1 66 


CLOUDS  AND  THE  LANDSCAPE. 


solution  composed  of  i  oz.  of  Hypo-Sulphite  of  Soda  to  12  ozs.  of  water, 
to  be  kept  in  a  separate  bottle.  With  the  above  solutions,  a  couple  of 
trays,  plenty  of  water  and  several  tufts  of  absorbent  cotton  you  are  pre¬ 
pared  to  do  the  work. 

After  placing  4  ozs.  of  the  Hypo  solution  in  a  tray,  add  about  60  drops, 
or  one  teaspoonful  of  the  Potassium  solution.  This  is  known  as  the  reducer. 
If,  after  a  trial,  this  is  found  to  be  too  weak,  add  more  of  the  Potassium  ; 
if  too  strong,  add  water.  After  thoroughly  washing  your  film  or  plate, 
place  it  against  a  sheet  of  ground  glass  (sky  down)  which  has  been  inclined 
at  an  angle  of  45  degrees,  over  a  tray  that  will  catch  the  drip,  and  before  a 
light  that  will  enable  you  to  see  through  the  negative.  Now  take  a  tuft  of 
cotton  soaked  in  the  solution  and  gently  rub  that  portion  of  the  negative 
that  you  wish  to  reduce.  You  should  also  go  over  the  surface  every  three 
or  four  minutes  with  a  second  tuft  of  cotton  kept  saturated  with  clear  water 
in  order  that  the  negative  reduce  evenly.  Be  sure  to  keep  the  reducer  off 
any  portion  of  the  negative  that  you  do  not  wish  it  to  a6t  upon.  Watch 
the  action  of  the  solution  closely  so  that  it  does  not  go  too  far.  When  the 
negative  is  reduced  to  the  proper  density,  place  it  in  running  water  for  an 
hour  or  so  in  order  to  stop  all  action  of  the  reducer. 


THE  PRINTING-IN  METHOD. 

Before  attempting  to  add  clouds  to  your  landscapes  by  the  printing-in 
process,  it  would  be  well  to  obtain  a  collection  of  cloud  negatives  in  order 
that  you  may  be  able  to  select  one  that  will  fit  each  case,  for  it  must  be 
remembered  that  the  clouded  sky  needed  in  each  instance  depends  almost 
entirely  upon  the  conditions  existing  at  the  time  the  landscape  negative  was 
obtained.  For  instance,  should  you  piffure  a  landscape  when  the  sun  is 
diredtly  back  of  the  camera  and  then  print-in  from  a  negative,  the  clouds  of 
which  have  received  their  illumination  from  immediately  in  front  of  the 
instrument,  you  can  readily  imagine  the  result,  due  to  cross  lights  through¬ 
out  the  picture. 

Then  again,  if  the  landscape  is  illuminated  from  the  left,  see  that  the 
clouds  in  the  negative  used  are  illuminated  from  the  same  point.  Do  not 
combine  clouds  taken  on  a  sunless,  lowry  day  with  a  landscape  taken  when 
illuminated  by  the  diredt  rays  of  the  sun,  or  vice  versa. 

Cloud  negatives  that  are  to  be  used  for  printing-in  should  be  thin. 
They  should,  however,  have  sufficient  strength  to  give  brilliancy  to  the 
print.  There  are  several  advantages  in  using  a  cloud  negative  which  is 
more  or  less  transparent,  as  you  can  see  through  it  and  better  judge  as  to 
its  adjustment  over  the  print  to  which  you  propose  to  add  the  clouds. 


CLOUDS  AND  THE  LANDSCAPE. 


167 


THE  NEGATIVE. 

When  obtaining  negatives  for  printing-in,  it  is  necessary  to  make  very 
short  exposures  because  if  we  over-expose,  even  very  slightly,  we  destroy  the 
delicate  contrasts  that  exist  between  the  high-lights  and  shadows  and  thereby 
flatten  the  negative.  For  instance,  if  we  make  an  exposure  of  of  a 
second  with  stop  U.  S.  8  for  an  ordinary  landscape  fully  illuminated  by  the 
direft  rays  of  the  sun,  we  in  most  cases  properly  time  the  foreground  but 
overtime  the  sky,  destroying  its  beauty,  and  for  that  reason,  when  exposing 
for  the  sky  alone,  TV  or  even  too  of  a  second  with  stop  U.  S.  32  will  in  most 
cases  give  perfect  detail. 

An  exposure  thus  obtained  should  be  carefully  developed,  too  much 
contrast  avoided  and  development  stopped  the  moment  that  full  detail 
appears.  You  will  then  have  a  negative  that  will  print  rapidly  and  give  you 
all  the  gradations  of  light  and  shade  that  were  impressed  upon  the  eye  at 
the  time  the  exposure  was  made.  It  would  be  well  to  add  ihat  if  a  light 
color  screen  is  used,  it  will  improve  your  negative  somewhat  but  will 
increase  the  length  of  the  exposure  required. 


THE  PROCESS. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  necessary,  when  printing  the  foreground,  to 
obtain  a  white  sky.  In  order  to  do  so  you  must  mask  that  portion  of  the 
negative  in  order  that  the  light  may  not  penetrate  the  film  and  affebt  that 
part  of  the  print  underneath  it.  First,  take  a  sheet  of  thin  strawboard  and 
roughly  sketch  across  its  surface  (about  midway  between  the  top  and 
bottom)  a  mark  to  correspond  as  nearly  as  possible  with  the  sky  line  of 
your  negative  ;  then  cut  your  board  along  this  line.  Save  both  halves 
because  you  will  need  them  later.  Now  procure  a  print  frame  (containing 
a  sheet  of  glass)  somewhat  larger  than  the  negative  you  are  to  print  from 
and  after  locating  said  negative  in  the  proper  position,  fasten  it  to  the  glass 
with  small  stickers,  then  tack  the  upper  half  of  the  cardboard  to  the  face  of 
the  frame  so  that  only  that  portion  of  the  negative  which  you  wish  to  print 
from  will  show.  Now  cover  the  entire  face  of  the  frame  with  tissue  paper 
and  you  are  ready  to  print.  After  removing  the  print  from  the  frame,  if 
you  use  printing-out  paper,  you  will  find  a  properly  printed  foreground 
with  a  pure,  white  sky. 

Now  place  your  cloud  negative  in  the  print-frame  and  properly  locate 
the  print  over  it,  using  the  lower  half  of  the  cardboard  to  cover  up  the  fore¬ 
ground  so  that  the  light  will  reach  the  sky  only.  It  should  be  borne  in 


1 68 


CLOUDS  AND  THE  LANDSCAPE. 


mind  that  the  cardboard  (which  we  will  call  a  mask,  or  vignetter)  when 
tacked  on  the  frame  should  be  raised  up  from  the  glass  about  one-quarter 
of  an  inch,  so  that,  when  printing,  the  light  will  diffuse  and  not  produce  a 
sharp  line  on  your  print.  When  using  Velox,  as  the  image  does  not 
show  before  development,  it  will  be  necessary  to  mark  the  paper  at  the  edge 
in  order  to  tell  just  where  the  sky  line  comes  :  otherwise  you  will  be  unable 
to  properly  locate  your  cloud  negative.  When  using  developing  papers  it 
would  be  well  to  paste  two  or  three  thicknesses  of  tissue  paper  over  your 
frame. 


Fig.  I. 


Trim,  Trim,  Trim. 

Trim  your  prints  mercilessly.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  three  pictures  out 
of  every  four  can  be  improved  by  a  judicious  use  of  the  shears.  One 
picture  has  too  much  sky,  another  too  much  foreground  and  another  one  a 
whole  side  with  nothing  in  it  worth  keeping.  When  a  portion  of  a  picture 
has  nothing  in  it  that  is  interesting  or  necessary  to  the  balance  of  the  picture 


Fig.  II 


170 


TRIM,  TRIM,  TRIM. 


cut  it  out.  Note,  if  you  please,  the  improvement  made  by  cutting  off  the 
foreground  in  the  accompanying  illustration.  Left  untrimmed,  as  in  Fig. 
i,  the  picture -has  little  to  recommend  it,  but  with  a  snip  of  the  shears  we 
have  cut  out  the  flat  and  uninteresting  foreground  and  have  secured  a  pic¬ 
ture  of  far  more  than  the  usual  interest  and  beauty  (Fig.  2).  Take  two 
cards  and  experiment  with  your  photographs  if  you  have  not  the  heart  to 
attack  them  with  the  shears,  laying  the  cards  on  them  in  such  a  way  as  to 
cut  out  from  view  what  seem  to  be  undesirable  parts.  An  experiment 
of  this  kind  will  soon  satisfy  you  that  the  shears  can  be  used  to  advantage. 

HELPFUL  HINTS. 

Don’t  use  your  hypo  tray  for  anything  but  hypo. 

Look  on  your  ground  glass,  not  through  it. 

Keep  films,  plates  and  paper  in  a  cool,  dry  place. 

Label  your  chemical  bottles  and  keep  them  well  stoppered. 

Always  dust  out  your  plate  holders  and  dust  plates  well  before  loading. 
A  speck  of  dirt  on  the  plate  will  leave  a  transparent  spot  which  will  in  turn 
leave  a  black  spot  on  the  print. 

Film  cartridges  are  dirt  as  well  as  light  proof  and  so  the  film  requires 
no  dusting.  Dust  will,  however,  sometimes  settle  on  the  sections  of  film  in 
place  in  the  focal  plane  inside  the  camera  if  a  long  time  elapses  between 
winding  the  film  into  position  and  making  the  exposure.  A  famous  lecturer 
and  photographer  overcomes  this  difficulty  when  cycling  over  very  dusty 
roads  by  not  turning  the  key  until  he  sees  a  picture  he  wants  to  take — a 
very  good  idea  provided  you  don' t  forget  to  turn  the  key. 

Dust  on  the  film  after  exposure  does  little  harm  as  it  cuts  off  no  light. 

When  in  doubt,  over-expose.  It  is  easier  to  restrain  than  to  force 
development. 

Do  not  develop  in  warm  water  as  it  is  likely  to  cause  frilling.  The 
developer  should  be  about  6o°  Fahr. 

A  Saturated  Solution  is  one  in  which  the  liquid  has  taken  up  all  of  the 
solid  which  it  will. 


USEFUL  TABLES. 


AVOIRDUPOIS  WEIGHT. 

27.34  Grains=i  Dram=27.34  Grains. 
16  Drams=i  Ounce=437.5  Grains. 

16  Ounces=i  pound=7ooo  Grains. 


LIQUID  MEASURE. 
60  Minims=i  Dram. 
8  Drams=r  ounce. 
16  Ounces=i  pint. 


In  purchasing  or  weighing  chemicals  it  is  always  safe  to  use  grains  as 
the  standard  of  weight,  as  they  are  alike  in  Avoirdupois,  Troy  and  Apothe¬ 
caries’  tables,  while  the  other  terms  vary. 


Stereoscopic  Photography. 


The  stereoscope  is  an  optical  instrument  for  giving  to  pictures  the 
appearance  of  solid  form  as  seen  in  nature.  In  other  words,  it  combines  in 
one,  through  a  blending  of  the  rays  of  light,  two  pictures  taken  for  the 
purpose  from  two  points  of  view.  We  might  say  that  all  objects  seen  with 
both  eyes  are  viewed  stereoscopically,  as  each  eye  sees  the  subject  from 
different  points,  but  these  two  views  blend  as  one  on  the  mind's  eye.  In 
order  to  produce  pictures  that  are  stereoscopic,  we  must  first  have  a  camera 
with  two  lenses  placed  at  from  3  to  3^  inches  apart.  We  can  then  make 
two  negatives  of  the  same  subject,  side  by  side,  differing  slightly  as  to  point 
of  view  just  exactly  as  our  two  eyes  differ  as  to  point  of  view.  Now  if  we 
make  a  print  from  the  negatives  at  they  are  obtained  in  the  camera  and  view 
them  in  the  stereoscope,  they  would  appear  blurred  to  the  eye,  because  the 
right  eye  would  view  the  subject  as  taken  by  the  lens  at  the  left  of  the 
camera  and  vice  versa.  This  is  due  to  the  picture  being  taken  upside  down. 
It,  therefore,  becomes  necessary  to  transpose  the  views  (reverse  their  position) 
in  order  that  they  appear  as  if  coming  from  an  intermediate  point.  Thus 
they  impress  themselves  upon  the  eye  as  one  and  give  the  idea  of  solidity 
and  perspective.  When  making  the  exposures,  be  sure  that  the  camera  is 
held  level  ;  otherwise  the  two  pictures  will  not  be  on  the  same  horizontal 
plane. 


TRANSPOSING  NEGATIVES. 

If  you  wish  to  make  a  quantity  of  prints  from  one  set  of  negatives,  it 
would  be  advisable  to  transpose  the  negatives  themselves  in  order  that  the 
prints  therefrom  be  identical.  A  Stereo  Kodak  Cutting  Guide  is  furnished 
with  each  stereoscopic  Kodak.  This  guide  may  be  used  to  trim  both 
negatives  and  prints.  If  the  camera  produces  negatives  three  inches  or 
more  in  width,  it  would  be  necessary  to  trim  the  prints  exactly  three 
inches  wide,  which  with  one  or  two  exceptions  is  the  width  of  a  single 
stereoscopic  print.  In  order  to  obtain  prints  which  are  perfectly  stereo¬ 
scopic,  it  is  first  necessary  to  select  some  particular  point  of  interest  near 
the  center  of  each  negative.  For  instance,  place  the  film  on  an  easel  in 
contact  with  a  sheet  of  glass  in  such  a  manner  that  you  will  be  able  to  view 
it  by  transmitted  light,  the  film  side  toward  you.  Place  the  guide  on  the 


(n}« 


172 


STEREOSCOPIC  PHOTOGRAPHY, 


right  hand  negative,  the  straight  edge  in  the  center  over  some  particular 
point  of  interest  in  the  middle  distance.  If  margins  remain  on  both  sides, 
trim  the  negative  at  the  right  of  the  guide.  It  may  then  be  removed  to 
the  left  hand  negative,  the  straight  edge  in  the  center  being  placed  over  the 
same  point  of  interest  as  was  selected  in  the  right  hand  exposure.  When 
in  this  position,  trim  the  negative  on  the  left.  The  negatives  should  then  be 
separated  and  transposed,  the  cut  edges  brought  together  so  that  they  will 
be  even  at  top  and  bottom  and  fastened  to  a  sheet  of  glass  (which  will  fit  in 
your  frame)  by  means  of  small  stickers.  \\  hen  using  glass  plates,  they 
may  be  marked  and  then  cut  and  transposed  the  same  as  films,  the  two 
halves  being  supported  upon  an  extra  sheet  of  glass.  The  negatives  are 
then  in  a  condition  to  print  from.  When  printing,  it  would  be  advisable  to 
use  Solio,  Kloro  or  Glossy  Velox,  which  may  be  obtained  the  proper  size 
for  ordinary  stereoscopic  views.  If  the  center  of  the  sheet  of  paper  is  placed 
directly  over  that  point  where  the  films  are  matched  together,  after  the  print 
has  been  toned  and  washed,  it  may  be  mounted  on  the  regular  3^  x  7 
stereoscopic  mount  without  further  trimming. 

If  only  a  few  sets  of  prints  are  to  be  made  from  the  negatives  and  you 
do  not  care  to  go  to  unnecessary  trouble,  prints  may  be  obtained  from  the 
negatives  without  cutting  them  and  after  being  toned  and  dried  may  be 
trimmed  and  transposed.  When  making  prints  from  the  negatives  before 
they  are  transposed,  it  would  be  necessary  to  mark  each  print  so  that  there 
would  be  no  chance  of  getting  them  mixed  before  mounting.  To  trim 
prints  requires  care.  The  same  guide  used  for  trimming  the  film  may  be 
used  for  the  prints  by  simply  selecting  the  same  point  of  interest  in  each 
print  and  then  trimming  on  both  sides.  A  very  slight  difference  would  ruin 
your  picture,  so  be  very  particular  in  locating  the  guide.  Pay  no  attention 
to  the  difference  in  the  appearance  of  objects  at  each  side  of  the  print  ;  as 
they  will  differ  owing  to  the  two  negatives  having  been  made  from  different 
points  of  view.  When  trimming  the  bottom  and  top  of  the  prints,  select 
some  prominent  object  in  the  foreground  and  place  the  edge  of  the  guide 
across  the  bottom  of  the  print,  trimming  at  right  angles  with  the  upright 
line.  After  the  bottoms  of  both  prints  have  been  trimmed  at  exactly  the 
same  point,  then  trim  the  top  so  as  to  bring  the  print  to  the  proper  size, 
3x3^.  Prints  must  be  identical  in  size  and  must  be  trimmed  by  measure¬ 
ment  from  a  common  point  at  or  near  their  centers,  otherwise  they  will  not 
be  stereoscopic 

When  trimming  and  transposing  Stereo-Brownie*  negatives,  the  above 
instructions  may  be  followed,  but  due  to  the  fact  that  the  camera  is  of 
different  size,  the  Cutting  Guide  is  a  trifle  smaller  and  it  is,  therefore, 

*Note. — There  is  now  manufactured  in  the  No.  2  Stereo  Brownie  size  an  Automatic  Stereo  Printing 
Frame  by  means  of  which  the  prints  are  transposed  with  absolute  accuracy  without  cutting . 


STEREOSCOPIC  PHO  TOGRAPHY. 


173 


necessary  to  separate  the  prints  after  they  have  been  properly  trimmed  and 
mount  them  T5g-  of  an  inch  apart  in  order  to  obtain  the  proper  stereoscopic 
effect.  This  may  be  easily  accomplished  by  marking  the  mount  in  the 
center  and  placing  each  print  at  an  equal  distance  from  it. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  not  in  possession  of  a  Stereo  guide  we 
would  suggest,  as  a  substitute,  a  sheet  of  glass  of  the  proper  width  with  an 
upright  mark  drawn  through  its  center. 


THE  SUBJECT. 

In  obtaining  the  best  stereoscopic  effect,  much  depends  upon  the  choice 
of  the  subject.  When  all  objects  in  your  picture  are  at  a  distance,  the  view 
appears  flat.  As  we  judge  distance  by  perspective,  it  is  necessary  to  have 
rather  a  strong  foreground,  some  figures  or  a  tree  or  two  will  answer  this 
purpose  nicely.  To  thoroughly  understand  this,  look  at  a  distant  landscape 
devoid  of  foreground,  first  with  one  eye  and  then  with  the  other  ;  both 
appear  the  same.  Now  place  a  figure  of  some  kind  directly  ahead  of  you, 
say  10  feet,  then  view  the  same  subject  with  the  left  eye  closed,  and  you 
will  see  more  of  the  view  on  the  right  hand  side  of  the  figure.  Then  close 
the  right  eye  and  note  the  difference.  When  we  bring  together  in  the 
stereoscope  the  two  views  made  from  different  points,  we  find  perspective 
and  solidity  of  form,  just  as  we  do  when  we  view  it  with  both  eyes. 


The  Sensitizing  and  Use  of  Plain 

Papers. 

BERNARD  ALFIERI. 


When  I  say  plain  papers  I  mean,  of  course,  papers  without  a  superficial 
coating  of  gelatine  or  albumen.  In  the  choice  of  these  for  salting  and 
sensitizing  there  is  no  restriction  except  that  of  chemical  purity,  and  no 
difficulties  in  manipulation  greater  than  will  be  met  with  in  any  other 
printing-out  process. 

Bromide  “matt”  papers  do  not  come  under  this  heading,  since  the 
gelatine  surface  is  only  made  “matt,”  or  free  from  glaze,  by  the  use  of 
starch,  resin  or  other  admixture  in  the  coating  of  the  paper.  Platinotype 
is  a  typical  example  of  a  “plain”  paper,  and  similar  results  may  be 
obtained  by  the  use  of  silver  salts  instead  of  platinum,  with  the  additional 
advantage  of  a  far  wider  range  of  color  and  texture  than  is  possible  in  that 
process. 

CHOICE  OF  PAPERS. 

Your  paper  should  be  chemically  pure  and  particularly  free  from  iron 
spots  (which,  when  the  paper  is  sensitized,  will  spread  out  like  asterisks,) 
and  at  the  same  time  it  should  be  selected  with  your  ultimate  aim  as  to 
effect  well  in  view.  The  purest  I  have  found,  next  to  “  Rives,”  on  which 
platinotype  is  coated,  and  for  the  matter  of  that  most  silver  papers,  too,  is 
Whatman,  which  is  sold  in  three  grades,  viz.:  H.  P.,  hot  pressed  or 
smooth  ;  N. ,  not,  and  R.,  rough,  and  then  come  Arnold,  Harding  and 
Hollingworth,  all  of  which  may  be  obtained  from  the  principal  Artists’ 
Colormen  without  any  difficulty  and  in  various  sizes.  “  Royal  ”  measures 
24  x  20  in.  and  Imperial  31  x  22  in.;  and  costs  from  3d.  to  6d.  a  sheet, 
according  to  its  weight.  These  sheets  can  be  cut  up  to  the  sizes  you  wish 
to  print,  allowing  a  little  margin  to  handle  them  by  in  salting  and  sensitizing. 

SALTING  AND  SIZING. 

Having  decided  upon  the  paper  you  wish  to  use,  a  salting  bath  is 
made  up  as  follows  : 

Common  Salt,  -  -  -  5°  to  100  grains. 

Gelatine, . .  grains. 

Water,  -  10  ounces. 


THE  SENSITIZING  AND  USE  OF  PLAIN  PAPERS.  175 

But  this  again  is  a  variable  quantity,  soft  and  porous  papers  requiring  more 
gelatine  to  size  them  than  hard,  rough  surfaces  will  take  up.  The  bath 
should  be  used  hot,  so  that  it  is  thoroughly  absorbed.  The  exact  time  of 
immersion  foi  the  paper  is  put  in  bodily,  not  floated — does  not  matter, 
and  it  will  be  often  found  necessary  to  let  the  first  sizing  dry  and  then  to 
give  a  second  bath  later  on,  that  the  pores  of  the  paper  may  be  well  filled  up. 

^  ou  can  salt  half  a  dozen  or  more  sheets  at  once,  turning  them  over 
from  time  to  time  and  then  hanging  them  up  by  American  or  other  wood 
clips  to  dry. 

At  this  stage  the  paper  will  keep  indefinitely,  but  it  is  as  well  to  keep 
it  under  pressure  that  it  may  be  easier  to  manipulate  in  the  subsequent 
process  of  sensitizing.  The  stronger  the  salting  the  weaker  may  be  the 
sensitizing,  and  there  is  room  for  considerable  variation  in  both  according 
to  the  character  of  the  negative  you  are  going  to  print  from  and  the  result 
you  want  to  get. 

The  paper  is  now  ready  for  sensitizing,  and  this  is  done  on  any  of  the 
ordinary  silver  baths  used  for  albumenized  papers,  the  standard  being 

60  grains  Nitrate  of  Silver, 
to 

1  oz.  of  Waterfpreferably  distilled) 
and 

15  grains  of  Citric  Acid. 

This,  with  occasional  strengthening,  will  last  for  a  long  time  kept  in  a  dark 
place  in  a  stoppered  bottle. 


SENSITIZING. 

Take  your  salted  paper  by  the  right  hand  corner  and  float  it  on  the 
bath,  using  gentle  pressure  at  the  same  time  to  exclude  air  bubbles,  (which 
would  come  out  as  insensitive  spots  in  printing),  leave  it  floating  for  2  or  3 
minutes,  then  hang  up  to  dry  in  a  moderately  dark  room  until  it  is  ready 
for  use. 

I  have  found  it  always  better  to  sensitize  paper  slightly  damp,  since 
one  can  get  a  more  even  coating,  and  the  edges  do  not  curl  up  in  the 
provoking  manner  common  to  papers  when  dry,  but  care  should  be 
exercised  to  avoid  the  sensitizing  solution  coming  on  to  the  back  of  the 
paper. 

PRINTING. 

This  is  done  in  the  ordinary  manner  in  a  pressure  frame,  but  the  image 
may  be  taken  rather  darker  than  with  ordinary  albumenized  papers  to  com¬ 
pensate  for  subsequent  loss  in  toning  and  fixing.  But  be  sure  to  varnish 


(12) 


176 


THE  SENSITIZING  AND  USE  OF  PLAIN  PAPERS. 


your  negatives  before  printing,  to  avoid  staining  them.  I  cannot  explain 
it,  but  the  fact  remains  that  although  I  have  never  had  staining  occur  with 
albumenized  papers,  with  the  use  of  strongly  salted  and  sensitized  drawing 
papers,  such  an  occurrence  has  been  frequent,  and  although  there  are 
several  reputed  cures  for  such  staining,  I  never  yet  found  a  satisfactory  one. 

TONING. 

Any  bath  that  will  tone  albumenized  prints  will  act  perfectly  well  with 
plain  salted  papers,  but  to  obtain  a  rich  red  brown  with  what  are  called 
“juicy”  depths  in  the  shadows  and  undegraded  whites  in  the  high  lights, 
use  the  following  stock  solution  : 

15  grains  Chloro-platinite  of  Potassium 
in 

Yt  oz.  of  Water. 

Then,  when  you  have  prints  to  tone,  take  from  it  one  dram  mixed  with  4 
oz.  of  water  with  a  few  drops,  say  5  or  6,  of  Nitric  Acid. 

This  bath  will  be  found  to  tone  very  rapidly  and  it  will  keep  fairly  well. 
Toning  being  completed,  wash  for  a  minute  or  two  and  neutralize  your 
prints  in  a  weak  bath  of  Carbonate  of  Soda,  they  are  then  ready  for  fixing 
in  the  usual  way. 

FIXING. 


Hypo-Sulphite  of  Soda,  -  -  -  -  4  oz. 

Water,  -  -  -  -  -  -  20  oz. 

I  look  upon  thorough  fixing  as  necessary  to  ensure  permanency  as  is 
thorough  washing  in  running  water  afterwards,  and  prints  should  be  left  in 
the  fixing  bath  for  at  least  15  minutes  before  they  are  put  in  the  washing 
trough,  where  they  remain  for  at  least  a  couple  of  hours. 

I  came  across  a  print  on  plain  “  Saxe”  paper  done  by  my  father  at 
least  30  years  ago  and  it  is  as  fresh  and  bright  as  on  the  day  it  was  made. 
It  was  a  point  with  him  to  dab  each  separate  print  with  a  sponge  under 
running  water,  back  and  front,  for  a  considerable  length  of  time,  and  I  have 
never  seen  such  little  change  in  color  of  silver  prints  as  are  to  be  noticed  in 
his. 

When  your  prints  are  well  washed,  I  take  it  that  you  have  got  as  near 
to  permanency  as  that  unstable  metal,  silver,  will  allow,  and  although  the 
directions  for  the  manipulation  of  plain  paper  seem  formidable  enough,  they 
are  not  really  more  so  than  would  be  required  for  the  intelligent  use  and 
practice  of  any  other  printing-out  process. 

Still,  for  those  who  do  not  want  the  bother  of  preparing  their  own 


THE  SENSITIZING  AND  USE  OF  PLAIN  PAPERS. 


177 


paper,  there  is  one  very  much  of  the  same  grain  and  texture  as  platinotype, 
sold  under  the  title  of  the  “  Blackfriars  Matt.” 

I  mention  it  with  diffidence,  since  I  am  interested  in  it  to  some  slight 
extent,  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  I  know  of  no  other  on  the  market,  as  that 
prepared  by  my  old  friend,  Valentine  Blanchard,  has  been  withdrawn  for 
some  years,  and  another,  known  as  1  ‘  Mezzotype  ”  which  was  issued  by  the 
Carlotype  Co.,  has  suffered  a  similar  fate.  With  this  paper,  which  is  a 
chemically  pure  one  of  French  manufacture,  any  tone,  from  warm  red  to 
black,  can  be  obtained  by  the  use  of  the  platinum  bath,  and  its  approximate 
permanency  is  tolerably  certain. 

There  is  another  method  of  obtaining  prints  on  plain  paper,  which  has 
been  duly  laid  down  by  Lyonel  Clark  in  his  contributions  to  the  Camera 
Club  Journal  of  a  few  years  ago,  by  developing  an  under-printed  picture 
with  a  saturated  solution  of  Gallic  Acid  or  Pyrogallol  Solution  acidified  with 
Acetic  Acid.  Mr.  Clark  also  recommends  the  use  of  Arnold’s  pure 
unbleached  paper  in  preference  to  any  other.  This  is  made  of  linen  fibre 
instead  of  cotton  rags  and  is  free  from  chlorine  or  bleach  in  any  form. 
Besides  “Arnold”  there  is  imitation  “Creswick,”  which  is  rather  more 
expensive,  but  of  a  fine  color  and  texture  for  this  kind  of  work.  Being  a 
heavy  and  thick  paper  (  1 10  lbs.  to  the  ream  Royal)  it  requires  considerably 
more  gelatine  in  the  sizing  than  Whatman,  and  I  have  sometimes  found 
double  sensitizing  advantageous  in  obtaining  strong  prints. 

There  are  again  Joynson,  Michallet  and  Ingres  papers,  all  of  which  are 
suitable  for  salting,  and  some  of  the  latter  being  in  delicate  tints  open  up 
new  ground  for  photographic  workers. 


Carbon  Printing. 

JAMES  A.  SINCLAIR. 


It  is  very  doubtful  whether  any  process  so  completely  fills  the  require¬ 
ments  of  the  artistic  photographer  as  does  the  carbon  process.  Its  long 
scale,  reproducing  perfectly  every  gradation  of  the  original  negative,  its 
permanence,  its  great  variety  of  color,  its  wonderful  transparency  in  the 
deepest  shadows,  and  its  adaptability  to  any  surface,  all  combine  to  render 
it  the  most  perfect  of  photographic  printing  methods.  Sometimes,  indeed, 
its  very  perfection  is  a  barrier  to  its  use.  If  we  have  to  print  from  a  flat, 
thin  negative  in  carbon,  we  shall  certainly  obtain  a  flat,  thin  result,  but  for 
a  negative  with  a  very  full  scale  of  gradation,  especially  large  and  enlarged 
negatives,  it  is  the  process  par  excellence.  Year  by  year  it  gains  steadily  in 
favor,  and  our  exhibitions  have  greatly  improved  in  general  appearance  by 
the  variety  of  color  it  has  given  to  their  walls.  In  this  short  article  it  is  my 
intention  to  give  a  brief  outline  of  the  process,  embodying  the  salient  points, 
which,  if  followed  by  the  tyro,  should  ensure  his  success,  but  at  the  same 
time  I  would  recommend  him,  after  he  has  mastered  the  initial  difficulties, 
to  read  some  text  book  and  make  himself  thoroughly  acquainted  with  all 
the  details  and  higher  branches  of  the  subject.  Carbon  Printing,  as  we 
know  it  to-day,  is  based  on  the  fact  that  a  mixture  of  gelatine  with  a 
chromic  salt  is  gradually  hardened  and  rendered  insoluble  on  exposure  to 
light.  If,  therefore,  paper  is  coated  with  such  a  mixture  of  sensitized 
gelatine,  containing  any  permanent  pigment — Carbon  was  originally  used, 
hence  the  name  of  the  process — and  if  this  paper  is  placed  underneath  a 
negative  and  exposed  to  actinic  light,  we  shall  have  a  positive  image  formed, 
consisting  of  soluble  and  insoluble  gelatine;  insoluble  in  exact  proportion  as 
the  light  has  reached  the  surface  of  the  pigmented  compound.  Develop¬ 
ment  consists  in  washing  away  with  hot  water  those  portions  of  gelatine 
which  the  light  has  not  affected  sufficiently  to  render  insoluble.  Now, 
without  going  more  minutely  into  details  at  this  stage,  and  perhaps  frighten¬ 
ing  the  beginner  with  imaginary  difficulties,  I  would  assure  him  that  the 
process  only  needs  care,  cleanliness  and  exactness  at  every  stage  in  order  to 
ensure  success. 

To  those  taking  up  Carbon  Printing  for  the  first  time,  a  start  should  be 
made  with  the  “  Single  Transfer  Process  ”.  This  is  the  simplest  form  and 


CARBON  PRINTING. 


179 


has  some  advantages  over  the  “  double  transfer”  because  less  manipulation 
is  required,  and,  moreover,  it  is  easier  to  produce  prints  on  rough  drawing 
papers  by  its  means.  The  only  objection  to  it  is  that  everything  becomes 
reversed;  what  was  on  the  right  hand  side  of  the  original  is  now  on  the  left 
hand  side  of  the  print,  but  this  is  of  little  moment  for  purely  artist’c  work. 
Of  course,  where  enlarged  negatives  are  required,  specially  for  Carbon 
Printing,  they  are  usually  made  reversed,  and  such  will  give  a  true  result 
after  printing  by  the  single  transfer  process.  Eastman  films  may  be  printed 
through  the  film  itself,  i.  e.,  with  the  celluloid  side  in  contact  with  the 
“  tissue  ” — as  the  pigmented  printing  paper  is  technically  called — and  the 
resulting  print  will  render  the  picture  in  its  correct  aspect. 


REQUIREMENTS  FOR  THE  SINGLE  TRANSFER  PROCESS. 


Carbon  Tissue, 

Black  Varnish  or  Lantern  Slide  Binders, 
Single  Transfer  Paper,  a  little  larger  than 
the  negative. 

A  Flat  Squeegee— not  roller. 

Squeegeeing  Board. 

Bichromate  of  Potash. 

Camel’s  Hair  Mop  Brush. 


Thermometer. 

Alum. 

Actinometer. 

Blotting  Paper. 

3  Dishes  (2  for  cold  water  and  one  for 
Alum  Solution) . 

1  Developing  Tank  or  large  basin  to  hold 
hot  water. 


SENSITIZING  THE  CARBON  TISSUE. 

Carbon  Tissue  is  the  name  given  to  the  paper  coated  with  pigmented 
gelatine  and  may  be  purchased  from  the  photographic  stock  dealers  in 
almost  any  desired  color.  When  insensitive,  it  will  keep  in  a  dry  place 
almost  indefinitely.  Should  the  beginner  be  able  to  purchase  it  ready  sensi¬ 
tized,  he  is  advised  to  do  so,  because  tissue  sensitized  in  the  making  is 
usually  manufactured  from  softer  gelatine  and  consequently  development  is 
easier  and  quicker.  Sensitizing  is,  however,  a  very  simple  operation,  and 
if  done  at  night  the  tissue  is  ready  for  use  when  dry  the  following  morning 
and  will  keep  in  good  condition  for  about  a  fortnight,  although,  when 
preserved  in  a  calcium  tin,  such  as  is  used  for  platinotype  paper,  its  longevity 
is  very  greatly  prolonged. 

The  sensitizing  solution  is  made  as  follows: 


Potassium  bichromate,  -  --  --  --1  oz. 

Water,  20  ozs. 

Ammonia,  .  . . 5  drops. 


The  temperature  of  this  solution  should  not  be  over  65°F.  In  summer 
it  may  be  necessary  to  cool  it  with  ice.  A  dish,  somewhat  larger  than  the 
tissue,  should  be  filled  to  the  depth  of  about  one  inch  with  solution.  The 
tissue  is  now  immersed  in  it,  care  being  taken  to  avoid  air  bubbles  as  much 
as  possible;  but,  should  they  occur,  either  on  the  back  or  front  of  the  tissue, 


i8o 


CARBON  PRINTING. 


they  must  be  quickly  removed  by  lightly  brushing  the  surface  with  the 
camel’s  hair  mop.  The  usual  time  for  immersion  is  about  three  minutes, 
but  this  varies  greatly  according  to  the  temperature  of  the  solution.  A  good 
plan  is  to  remove  the  tissue  immediately  it  becomes  limp,  placing  it  surface 
side  downwards  on  a  squeegeeing  board — a  plain  board  covered  with  sheet 
zinc — and  then  removing  the  surplus  moisture  with  a  stroke  of  the  squeegee. 
Should  a  squeegeeing  board  not  be  available,  a  sheet  of  plate  glass  forms  an 
efficient  substitute.  The  tissue  is  now  raised  from  the  board  and  hung  up 
to  dry  by  means  of  clips.  The  tissue  does  not  become  sensitive  till  nearly 
dry. 

DRYING  THE  TISSUE. 

The  greatest  care  must  be  taken  that  this  operation  is  carried  out  under 
suitable  conditions,  for  after  success  depends  very  largely  upon  it.  It  is 
advisable  to  dry  the  tissue  as  quickly  as  possible  and  in  an  atmosphere  free 
from  all  impurities.  A  properly  constructed  drying  cupboard  is  very  useful 
for  the  purpose,  although  an  ordinary  room  in  which  the  fire  has  been  burn¬ 
ing  during  the  day  and  which  has  been  darkened  to  prevent  the  entrance  of 
white  light,  will  do  just  as  well,  and  tissue  left  there  at  night  will  be  ready 
for  use  the  following  morning.  Care  should  be  taken  not  to  expose  the 
tissue  to  even  the  weakest  actinic  light,  because  it  is  more  sensitive  than 
silver  paper,  and,  moreover,  any  light  action  set  up,  continues  when  the 
tissue  is  placed  in  a  dark  place.  The  tissue  being  quite  dry,  it  is  stored  in 
a  pressure  box  ready  for  use. 

PREPARING  THE  NEGATIVE. 

Negatives  for  carbon  printing  should  be  vigorous  and  full  of  gradation. 
Do  not  attempt  your  first  print  from  a  flat,  thin  negative.  Each  negative 
must  be  provided  with  what  is  termed  a  “safe  edge.”  This  is  made  by 
painting  round  the  edge  of  the  negative  with  black  varnish,  or  by  sticking 
a  strip  of  black  or  yellow  paper  round  the  negative  on  the  glass  side. 
Commercial  lantern  slide  binders  are  very  convenient  for  this  purpose 
because  they  can  be  affixed  in  a  few  moments.  Without  this  safe  edge 
there  is  great  danger  of  the  insoluble  gelatine  picture  leaving  its  support 
during  development. 

PRINTING-THE  ACTINOMETER. 

The  negative  being  prepared  we  have  only  to  place  it  in  a  printing 
frame,  with  a  piece  of  the  sensitized  tissue  in  contact,  and  expose  to  day¬ 
light  as  in  any  ordinary  printing  process.  Now  as  we  are  printing  on  a  dark 


CARBON  PRINTING. 


181 


colored  surface  it  is  evident  that  we  must  have  some  means  for  calculating 
the  necessary  exposure.  Instruments  for  this  purpose  are  known  as 
Actinometers,  and  any  of  the  commercial  forms  will  be  found  quite  simple 
in  use  after  one  or  two  trials.  An  alternative  to  their  use  is  to  take  a  nega¬ 
tive  of  equal  density  to  that  we  are  printing  in  carbon,  and,  placing  it  in  a 
frame  with  a  small  strip  of  Solio  paper,  expose  the  frames  simultaneously  to 
daylight.  When  the  strip  of  Solio  paper  is  printed  to  the  “  pretty  ”  stage, 
i  e. ,  lighter  than  it  would  be  for  toning,  we  may  consider  our  carbon  print 
is  finished  and  ready  for  development. 

If  we  pause  for  a  moment  to  think  of  what  has  taken  place  during 
printing,  w'e  shall  see  that  the  image  of  insoluble  gelatine  lies  on  the  surface 
of  the  pigmented  film  instead  of  in  contact  with  the  paper  supporting  it. 
It  follows,  therefore,  that  if  we  place  the  “  tissue”  in  hot  water,  the  gelatine 
between  the  image  and  the  paper  will  be  dissolved  and  the  insoluble  film 
forming  the  picture  will  float  away  and  be  lost.  Of  course  this  difficulty 
might  be  overcome  by  printing  through  the  paper,  but  this  procedure  would 
give  rise  to  other  troubles.  The  grain  of  the  paper,  the  long  time  taken  in 
printing — even  when  the  paper  is  oiled  as  suggested  by  Mr.  Blanchard — 
and  the  loss  in  definition,  are  serious  obstacles  to  the  success  of  this  method. 
The  difficulty  has  been  met  in  a  simple  manner.  If  the  printed  tissue  is 
placed  in  water  for  a  few  moments  and  then  brought  into  contact  with  a  flat 
surface  excluding  air,  it  will  adhere  during  development.  We,  therefore, 
prepare  wood,  paper  or  other  material  on  which  we  desire  to  transfer  our 
image,  by  coating  it  with  a  layer  of  insoluble  gelatine.  Single  transfer 
papers,  smooth  or  rough,  white  or  tinted,  may  be  obtained  ready  for  use, 
but  probably  the  ideas  of  the  photographer  lead  him  to  sometimes  require 
something  different  to  the  commercial  article  and  he  will  prefer  to  prepare 
his  own.  For  this  purpose  take  : 

Nelson’s  No.  i  Gelatine, . i  oz. 

Water,  --------  2  ozs. 

and  after  letting  it  soak  for  some  hours,  dissolve  by  gentle  heat.  Add  to 
this  solution  very  gradually 

Chrome  Alum,  -  20  grains  dissolved  in  2  ozs.  water, 

stirring  vigorously  all  the  time. 

With  a  stiff  brush  or  sponge  the  chromated  gelatine  is  applied  to  the 
surface  of  the  wood  or  paper  and  allowed  to  dry.  Ordinary  papers  require 
two  coats,  but  Whatman  and  other  rough  drawing  papers  should  have  three. 
Should  Nelson’s  Gelatine  not  be  procurable,  any  other  make  may  be  used 
in  its  place,  but  if  they  are  harder  the  alum  must  be  greatly  reduced. 
Should  Heinrich’s  Hard  Gelatine  be  used,  about  four  grains  of  Alum  would 
be  sufficient.  A  larger  quantity  might  cause  coagulation  during  mixing. 


182 


CARBON  PRINTING. 


DEVELOPMENT. 

The  print  being  ready  for  development,  we  prepare  two  dishes  of  cold 
water,  one  dish  of  five  per  cent.  Alum  Solution,  a  tank  or  basin  of  hot 
water  about  ioo°  F. ,  a  squeegee  and  squeegeeing  board.  Taking  a  piece  of 
the  single  transfer  paper,  rather  larger  than  the  print,  we  immerse  it  in  one 
of  the  dishes  of  cold  water  for  a  few  minutes.  (Whatman  and  other  rough 
drawing  papers  should  soak  for  hours,  or  else  be  placed  in  the  hot  water 
developing  tank  for  half  an  hour  before  use.)  The  printed  tissue  is  taken 
from  the  frame  and  placed  in  the  dish  of  cold  water  which  contains  the 
transfer  paper,  bubbles  being  carefully  avoided.  It  usually  commences  to 
curl  up  and  then  gradually  unfolds  itself  again.  When  nearly  unfolded  it 
should  be  brought  into  position,  film  downwards  into  contact  with  the 
prepared  surface  of  the  transfer  paper.  Lifting  both  tissue  and  transfer 
paper  by  the  one  edge,  drag  them  out  of  the  water  over  the  end  of  the  dish 
and  lay  them  “tissue”  side  uppermost  on  the  squeegeeing  board.  Now' 
apply  the  squeegee  vigorously  to  the  back  of  the  tissue  in  order  to  expel 
all  the  water  between  the  two  surfaces.  The  transfer  paper  with  the 
adhering  tissue  is  now  gently  lifted  and  placed  between  blotting  boards  and 
kept  under  slight  pressure  for  about  twenty  minutes.  At  the  end  of  this 
time,  the  transfer  paper  with  the  adhering  tissue  is  placed  in  the  tank  of 
hot  water  at  ioo°  F.  In  a  few  minutes  we  shall  see  small  quantities  of 
soluble  gelatine  exuding  round  the  edges  of  the  tissue.  We  now  take  one 
corner  of  the  tissue  and  lift  it  right  away  from  the  transfer  paper.  Unless 
it  comes  quite  easily  and  without  force,  it  should  be  allowed  to  soak  longer. 
The  tissue  being  removed,  a  dirty  mass  is  seen  on  the  single  transfer  paper. 
All  we  have  to  do  is  to  leave  this  mass  with  the  hot  water  till  development 
is  complete.  It  is  well  to  have  a  sheet  of  zinc  or  glass  on  which  to  support 
the  picture  during  this  operation,  or  the  paper  support  may  get  damaged. 
Errors  of  exposure  may  be  partially  compensated  at  this  point.  Over¬ 
exposed  prints  may  be  reduced  by  raising  the  temperature  of  the  hot  water 
to  120°  or  I30°F  ;  while  under-exposed  ones  should  be  left  to  automatically 
develop,  face  downwards,  at  a  temperature  of  90°F.  When  the  print  is 
developed,  it  only  requires  a  rinse  in  cold  water,  immersion  in  the  5$  Alum 
Solution  for  10  minutes  to  harden  the  film  and  remove  the  bichromate  salt, 
a  final  wash  to  remove  the  alum,  and  the  print  is  then  hung  up  to  dry  by 
means  of  clips.  When  dry  the  prints  may  be  mounted  with  any  good 
mountant  or  starch  paste. 


CARBON  PRINTING 


183 


DOUBLE  TRANSFER  PROCESS. 

As  pointed  out  earlier  in  this  article,  the  foregoing  method  reverses 
the  picture  unless  a  negative  has  been  specially  made  for  single  transfer  in 
the  first  instance.  For  direct  prints  where  reversal  would  be  objectionable, 
we  must  use  the  double  transfer  process,  which  is  quite  as  easy  to  work  as 
the  single  transfer,  but  involves  one  more  operation. 

The  additional  materials  required  are, 

Temporary  Support,  Final  Support,  Waxing  Solution. 

With  this  process  the  procedure  is  exactly  the  same  as  regards  the 
printing  and  development,  the  only  difference  being  that  a  temporary 
support  takes  the  place  of  the  single  transfer  paper.  A  flexible  temporary 
support  is  manufactured  specially  for  this  purpose.  If  it  cannot  be  pro¬ 
cured,  a  sheet  of  finely  ground  opal  will  serve  the  purpose  equally  well, 
provided  the  print  is  to  be  finally  transferred  to  paper  or  other  flexible 
surface.  Whichever  is  used,  the  surface  must  be  first  prepared  with  waxing 
solution.  This  is  composed  of  : 

Yellow  resin, . 36  grains. 

Pure  bees-wax,  ------  12  grains. 

Ether,  -  --  --  --  -  2  ozs. 

After  melting  the  wax,  add  the  resin  and  thoroughly  mix,  remove  from 
the  fire  and  add  the  Ether. 

A  small  pool  of  the  waxing  solution  must  be  poured  in  the  center  of  the 
opal  or  flexible  temporary  support,  and  this  is  then  rubbed  all  over  the 
surface  with  a  piece  of  clean  flannel.  Allow  to  stand  for  a  few  minutes  and 
then  lightly  polish  with  another  piece  of  flannel.  Directly  the  smell  of  the 
Ether  has  gone,  the  support  is  ready  for  use  and  may  be  kept  in  this 
condition. 

The  print  being  developed,  alumed,  washed  and  dried,  on  the  temporary 
support,  is  ready  for  the  final  operation.  We  cut  a  piece  of  the  final 
support,  a  paper  somewhat  similar  to  single  transfer  paper,  but  coated  with  a 
thicker  couch  of  more  soluble  gelatine,  and  place  it  in  a  2%  Alum  Solution 
about  an  hour  before  required  for  use.  The  print  on  its  temporary  support 
is  now  immersed  in  tepid  water,  7o0F.;  the  final  support  is  withdrawn  from 
the  Alum  Solution,  lowered  into  the  tepid  water,  avoiding  bubbles,  so  that 
the  gelatinous  side  comes  in  contacfl  with  the  print.  The  temporary  and 
final  supports  are  now  withdrawn  from  the  wrater  together,  placed  on  the 
squeegeeing  board,  the  final  support  being  uppermost,  and  brought  into 
perfect  contact  by  the  vigorous  action  of  the  squeegee.  When  perfectly 
dry,  the  print  will  leave  the  temporary  support  without  difficulty,  indeed  if 
dried  in  a  warm  current  of  air  it  will  probably  fall  off  without  our  aid. 


CARBON  PRINTING. 


184 


Where  opal  is  used,  it  may  be  necessary  to  insert  a  knife  at  the  edge 
of  the  print.  The  temporary  supports  are  not  damaged  by  these  operations 
and  may  be  used  for  a  large  number  of  times,  if  waxed  after  each  time  of 
using. 

In  conclusion,  I  would  urge  every  serious  photographer  to  master  this 
fascinating  process,  for,  till  he  has  done  so,  he  must  be  unaware  of  many 
of  the  possibilities  of  his  art. 


The  Gum-Bichromate  Process. 

ROBERT  DEMACHY. 


When  a  photographer  has  had  the  courage  to  go  through  some 
technical  article  on  the  working  of  a  new  printing  process,  he  feels  the 
joyous  conviction  that  on  following  closely  the  author’s  instructions  he  will 
be  able  to  produce  a  good  print  by  the  process  as  described  ;  at  any  rate  he 
knows  beforehand  what  qualities  this  standard  print  ought  to  have.  I  do 
not  see  the  way  to  produce  this  happy  confidence  in  the  present  case,  for 
although  I  think  I  am  capable  of  giving  a  definition  of  what  a  good  albumen 
or  gelatino-chloride  print  ought  to  be,  by  comparison  with  a  bad  one,  I  am 
quite  unable  to  define  the  good  gum-bichromate  print,  and  no  instructions 
of  mine  will  enable  even  an  ardent  worker  to  produce  what  a  true  artist  will 
call  a  good  gum-bichromate  print.  All  that  I  can  do  is  to  enable  him  to 
produce  a  sheet  of  coated  paper,  the  coating  of  which  will  dissolve  and 
disappear  in  the  places  where  light  has  not  caused  insolubility,  while  in  other 
parts  this  coating  will  remain  more  or  less  adherent,  according  to  the 
quantity  of  light  admitted. 

This  is  the  definition  of  the  process  in  a  nut-shell  :  What  we  want  is 
a  film — a  colored  coating  which,  after  exposure  to  light  under  a  negative, 
will  give  us  a  surface  quite  soluble  in  some  parts,  partly  soluble  in  others, 
totally  insoluble  in  the  rest.  If  we  succeed  in  manufacturing  this  sheet  of 
coated  paper  we  shall  have  in  our  hands  the  foundation  of  a  good  gum- 
bichromate  print — it  rests  with  us  to  make  a  picture  out  of  this,  or  a  daub, 
or  simply  a  common-place,  faithful,  photographic  print. 

For  in  the  gum-bichromate  process  we  cannot  work  with  the  same 
standards  as  in  other  processes.  For  example,  in  the  silver  printing 
process,  under-exposure  gives  a  very  bad  print  of  a  dirty  color  without 
strength  or  contrast.  With  gum-bichromate,  considerable  under-exposure 
means  total  absence  of  image.  One  cannot  say  that  the  print  is  a  bad  one, 
for  in  this  case  there  is  no  print  whatever,  all  the  coating  will  disappear  in 
the  developing.  Similar  with  great  over-exposure  ;  in  this  case  the  paper 
remains  just  as  it  was  before  printing — a  dull  surface  of  black,  brown  or  red. 
But  whenever  an  image  has  been  developed  and  has  remained  on  the  paper 
the  resulting  print  may  be  good,  for  it  can  be  made  into  a  picture,  and  a 
fine  picture,  too,  if  the  man  who  works  at  it  is  an  artist  and  knows  what  he 
is  about. 


1 86 


THE  GUM-BICHROMATE  PROCESS. 


My  meaning  is  that  if  the  color  used  for  coating  is  well  chosen  and 
sufficiently  deep,  its  nature  will  not  be  affected  subsequently  as  it  is  by 
toning  or  developing  from  white  to  black  in  other  printing  processes,  so 
most  of  the  conditions  which  cause  failure  in  silver  chloride,  bromide  or  in 
platinum  papers  are  not  to  be  taken  into  account  with  this  special  method, 
for  color  and  depth  of  color  have  both  been  chosen  before  printing  and 
development.  In  other  words,  as  we  work  from  dark  to  light,  the  condi¬ 
tions  of  ordinary  printing  are  naturally  reversed.  What  we  aim  at  is  to 
keep  the  color  that  we  have  already  applied  instead  of  striving  to  build  it  up. 

The  materials  are  simple  :  Gum  Arabic,  Bichromate  of  Potash,  and 
the  cheapest  of  all  pigments — earths.  The  gum  need  not  be  pure  white 
gum,  the  ordinary  red  Gum  Arabic  works  just  as  well  as  the  purer  samples. 
I  have  tried  both  and  found  no  difference  whatever  in  the  results.  Bichro¬ 
mate  of  Potash  can  be  had  of  any  druggist.  Any  sort  of  paper  is  suitable 
provided  it  is  sized  ;  all  drawing  and  water- color  papers  are  good,  so  are 
most  writing  papers,  but  highly  glazed  paper  is  most  difficult  to  coat 
properly,  though  it  works  well  when  this  difficulty  has  been  surmounted. 

Powdered  colors  may  be  used  successfully — they  are  cheaper  than 
moist  tubes,  but  they  are  not  ground  so  fine.  To  make  the  three  conven¬ 
tional  tints  of  monochrome  work,  the  following  colors  are  necessary  : 

Lampblack,  umber  and  burnt  umber,  sienna  and  burnt  sienna,  Vandyke 
brown,  bistre,  yellow  and  brown  ocre,  red  ocre,  brown  red,  Venetian  red, 
indigo.  These  colors  are  permanent.  They  can  be  mixed  in  different 
proportions  according  to  the  taste  of  the  worker.  No  colors  should  be 
used  pure,  the  result  is  generally  displeasing. 

A  saturated  solution  of  Bichromate  of  Potash  (10$)  is  made  with  hot 
water,  and  another  of  gum  arabic  and  cold  water  which  has  to  be  worked  up 
to  a  density  marking  i8to  20  degrees  by  the  saccharometer  or  densitometer. 
The  Bichromate  solution  keeps  indefinitely.  The  gum  solution  turns  acid 
after  a  few  days  and  seems  to  give  better  results  in  this  state.  If  it  thickens 
by  evaporation  or  gets  thinner  by  fermentation,  a  small  quantity  of  water  or 
a  denser  solution  must  be  added  until  it  registers  a  new  18  to  20  degrees. 
Ten  cubic  centimetres  of  this  gum  solution  are  mixed  with  pigment  and  four 
cubic  centimetres  of  Bichromate  are  added  to  the  gum  and  pigment.  It 
must  be  understood  that  these  measures  are  purely  approximate.  According 
to  the  depth  of  color  or  to  the  nature  of  die  pigment,  more  or  less  gum  or 
more  or  less  Bichromate  will  have  to  be  added.  The  photographer  will 
be  guided  by  the  behavior  of  the  sensitive  mixture,  which  must  allow  of 
rapid  and  even  coating.  For  example,  if  he  uses  Venetian  red  as  pigment 
the  resulting  mixture  will  be  thin  compared  to  a  mixture  prepared  with 
Vandyke  brown,  for  the  coloring  power  of  the  first  pigment  is  greatly 
superior  to  that  of  the  latter,  consequently  there  will  be  much  more  pigment 


THE  GUM-BICHROMATE  PROCESS. 


187 


in  bulk  in  the  second  case  than  in  the  first  and  a  few  drops  of  Bichromate 
and  one  or  two  drops  of  thin  gum  will  have  to  be  added.  In  reality  every 
proportion  is  constantly  varying  in  this  process,  the  only  important  and 
unvarying  factor  should  be  the  thickness  of  the  sensitive  mixture,  for  smooth 
and  even  coating  is  a  necessity,  and  only  a  certain  thickness  will  allow  of 
proper  coating.  This  is  a  matter  of  experience  to  be  acquired  by  a  few 
preliminary  trials,  though  I  have  worked  at  the  process  for  several  years 
and  it  is  rare  indeed  when  I  do  not  find  it  necessary  to  thicken  or  dilute  the 
sensitive  mixture  before  beginning  to  coat. 

Now  two  methods  of  working  are  open  to  the  photographer,  either  he 
may  sensitize  his  paper  in  a  ten  per  cent,  solution  of  Bichromate  by 
immersion  during  one  or  two  minutes,  dry,  and  then  coat  with  gum  and 
pigment,  adding  to  the  mixture  a  proportion  of  water  equal  to  the  quantity 
of  fluid  that  the  Bichromate  solution  would  have  brought  if  it  had  been 
added  to  the  gum  and  pigment,  or  he  may  coat  his  paper  direct  with  gum, 
pigment  and  Bichromate  in  the  proportions  described  above.  In  both  cases 
the  degree  of  thickness  of  the  mixture  must  be  tried  before  coating,  and  this 
operation  must  only  be  performed  when  the  mixture  has  shown  a  satisfactory 
behavior  under  this  preliminary  trial.  It  is  not  difficult  to  judge.  A 
mixture  clinging  to  the  brush  and  forming  ridges  which  cannot  be  softened 
by’repeated  brushings  must  be  diluted — while  if  it  runs  over  the  paper, 
refuses  to  set  and  follows  the  brush  in  waves,  gum  must  be  added. 

I  do  not  say  anything  about  the  proportion  of  pigment — this  is  a 
question  of  personal  taste. 

Coat  your  paper  in  full  diffused  light  or  by  bright  gas  light.  Pin  the 
dry  sheet  on  a  drawing  board,  take  a  flat  hog’s-hair  brush  (the  fan  shape 
seems  to  be  the  most  convenient)  smear  the  surface  roughly  with  the  sen¬ 
sitive  mixture,  taking  care  not  to  use  more  than  is  necessary  for  the 
complete  covering  of  the  sheet,  or  else  the  coating  will  be  too  thick.  This 
rough  coating  is  covered  with  ridges  and  irregular  brush  marks;  do  not  let 
the  marks  set  but  take  up  a  goat’s-hair  softener  and  give  a  few  strong  down¬ 
ward  vertical  strokes  which  will  change  the  irregular  ridges  into  vertical 
parallel  lines — break  these  lines  by  several  horizontal  strokes  perpendicular 
to  the  first — the  lines  will  merge  into  one  another  and  disappear.  A  few 
rapid  and  light  touches  here  and  there  will  finish  the  operation,  which 
ought  to  be  rapid  and  decisive. 

Pin  the  paper  up  to  dry  in  a  dark  place — absolute  darkness  is  not 
necessary — and  when  bone  dry,  expose. 

Correct  exposure,  I  mean  the  right  exposure  for  the  desired  effect,  is 
the  delicate  point  of  the  process.  It  can  only  be  got  at  by  comparative 
trials.  I  have  seen  men  disgusted  by  their  constant  failures,  who,  as  I 
found  out  later  on,  had  never  made  these  comparative  trials  on  the  same 


i88 


THE  GUM-BICHROMATE  PROCESS. 


negative.  They  had  tried  every  possible  change  in  their  way  of  coating 
and  their  proportions  of  mixture,  but  had  never  had  the  idea  of  trying  two 
exposures — one  of  ten  minutes  and  one  of  two  hours — to  ascertain  how 
gum-bichromate  paper  acted  under  extremes.  It  is,  notwithstanding,  the 
only  sure  way.  An  actinometer  is  necessary,  of  course,  and  the  bands, 
numbered,  may  be  kept  for  future  reference. 

The  average  exposure  in  summer  by  diffused  light  for  a  thin  negative 
would  be  twenty  minutes  to  half  an  hour.  Length  of  exposure  is  influenced 
not  only  by  the  quality  of  the  light,  the  color  and  density  of  the  negative, 
but  also  by  the  thickness  of  the  sensitive  coating.  It  is  of  course  in  direct 
ratio  to  this  thickness. 

To  be  able  to  fully  understand  the  importance  of  control  in  the  devel¬ 
opment  of  a  gum-bichromate  print  we  must  realize  that  the  film  or  coating 
on  which  we  are  going  to  operate  is  composed  of  a  substance  uniform  in 
appearance,  but  entirely  soluble  or  semi-soluble  in  some  parts,  and  insoluble, 
or  nearly,  in  others.  If  we  immerse  this  coated  paper  in  a  dish  of  water 
and  let  the  solvent  act  undisturbed  on  the  whole  surface  of  this  coating,  it 
will  dissolve  it  proportionately  to  the  extent  it  has  previously  been  rendered 
insoluble,  and  it  will  give  us  a  positive  duplicate  of  the  original  negative. 
If,  on  the  contrary,  we  apply  the  solvent  irregularly  to  different  parts  of  the 
coated  paper,  if  we  use  hot  water  there  and  cold  water  there;  if,  going  even 
further  in  our  personal  intervention,  we  add  local  friction  to  the  dissolving 
action  of  water  locally  applied,  we  produce  a  positive  which  has  not  been 
developed  in  proportion  to  its  solubility,  but  proportionately  to  the  temper¬ 
ature  of  the  agent  used  in  developing  and  to  the  force  and  frequency  of  its 
application — consequently  it  is  not  a  duplicate  of  the  original  negative  as  to 
tone  and  values,  but  the  result,  good  or  bad,  of  our  own  judgment. 

In  reality  the  technical  or  photographical  part  of  the  process  is  at  an 
•end  when  development  begins.  Development  requires  no  chemicals,  and 
no  formulae  to  mix  them.  All  you  have  to  do  is  to  wash  away,  rub  away, 
or  scrape  away,  according  to  your  mood,  the  more  or  less  soft  pigment 
attached  to  the  paper.  You  can  develop  in  ten  minutes  or  several  hours, 
wash  away  one  side  of  your  picture  before  developing  the  other,  work  with 
a  brush,  a  spurt  of  water,  or  a  gentle  flow.  So  there  are  no  rules  for  devel¬ 
oping  save  those  by  which  artists  of  all  crafts  ought  to  be  guided. 

The  only  indications  which  could  be  useful  to  a  beginner  are  the  fol¬ 
lowing:  Always  develop  the  print  out  of  the  bath  of  water;  if  it  is 
immersed  it  stands  to  reason  that  local  development  is  impossible.  Place 
the  sheet  of  paper  on  a  glass  plate  propped  up  at  one  end  by  some  sort  of 
wooden  contrivance,  the  other  resting  on  the  bottom  of  the  developing 
tray.  Always  begin  by  cold  water,  and  never  use  higher  temperatures 
until  you  have  ascertained  that  a  low  temperature  has  no  effect  whatever. 


THE  GUM-BICHROMATE  PROCESS. 


189 


Develop  slowly,  and  do  not  let  an  ounce  of  water  flow  over  the  film  without 
a  definite  intention  calculated  to  produce  a  definite  effect.  If  hot  water 
does  not  reduce  the  heaviest  shadows  use  a  very  soft,  flat  sable  brush,  but 
not  until  the  print  is  completely  developed  in  other  parts — then  work  care¬ 
fully,  and  bear  in  mind  that  the  deepest  blacks  are  the  foundation  of  your 
picture,  and  that  should  they  be  over-reduced  the  whole  balance  of  the 
composition  will  be  upset.  Do  not  imagine  that  after  having  successfully 
(from  a  technical  point  of  view)  developed  a  gum-bichromate  print  you 
have  got  all  that  you  can  get  out  of  the  negative;  print  another  proof  and 
yet  another — try  different  exposures,  modify  the  temperature  of  your  bath, 
change  the  scheme  of  tone,  use  another  batch  of  paper  coated  with  a  mix¬ 
ture  of  different  proportions,  and  you  will  be  astonished  at  the  variety  of 
effects  thus  obtained — each  one,  though  quite  different  from  the  others, 
being  able  to  give  a  true  and  pleasing  impression  if  the  relative  values  have 
been  kept  in  harmony  in  the  various  schemes  of  tones  adopted. 

Failures  may  be  divided  into  four  classes  : 

1.  The  coating  is  completely  washed  away  in  a  few  minutes  or  after 
being  successfully  developed,  seems  to  lose  all  cohesion  and  instead  of 
drying,  melts  and  spreads,  ruining  the  print  absolutely — cause,  under¬ 
exposure. 

2.  The  coating  is  absolutely  insoluble  or  only  a  trace  of  image  is 
visible — over-exposure. 

3.  Development  proceeds  normally  but  the  whites  are  stained  or 
marked  with  granular  spots  of  color. — (1st  case)  color-stained  whites, 
cause:  excess  of  liquid,  Bichromate  or  water  in  the  sensitive  mixture.  (2nd 
case),  granular  deposit,  cause:  excess  of  pigment. 

4.  The  coating,  on  developing,  breaks  into  scales.  Cause:  extra 
thick  film  to  which  extra  exposure  has  not  been  given.  We  must  not  forget 
that  the  time  of  exposure  is  regulated  not  only  by  the  color  and  the  density 
of  the  negative  and  the  amount  of  actinic  light,  but  also  by  the  degree  of 
thickness  of  the  coating.  A  thick  coating  will  always  produce  scaly  devel¬ 
opment  when  the  same  exposure  has  been  given  as  if  the  coating  was  of 
normal  thickness. 

Gum-bichromate  prints  may  be  dried  before  a  fire  or  over  a  gas  stove, 
if  the  color  does  not  exhibit  any  symptoms  of  spreading.  If  it  is  in  the 
least  tender,  accelerate  evaporation  by  fanning.  As  a  rule,  however,  I 
prefer  to  let  the  print  dry  naturally,  for  many  successful  alterations  in  value 
can  be  made  when  the  coating  has  thickened  somewhat  and  is  less  delicate 
under  the  brush. 

The  prints  when  quite  dry  must  be  passed  for  a  few  minutes  in  a 
clearing  bath  of  water  and  bi-sulphite  of  soda  (1  fo)  to  eliminate  the  last 
traces  of  Bichromate. 


190 


THE  GUM-BICHROMATE  PROCESS. 


Is  it  useless  to  add,  before  finishing,  that  we  do  not  consider  a  photo¬ 
graphic  print  to  be  beautiful  simply  because  it  is  printed  by  the  gum- 
bichromate  method.  We  like  the  process  and  we  are  doing  our  utmost  to 
popularize  it,  only  because  it  allows  of  great  control  over  tones  and  values 
and  because  in  the  hands  of  men  who  have  acquired  and  cultivated  artistic 
' 'sion  it  can  give  an  astonishing  range  of  varied  effects.  The  opening 
paragraph  of  this  article  may  have  seemed  paradoxical  to  the  reader  at 
first  sight;  if  he  has  gone  through  the  whole  of  it  he  will  acknowledge 
that  success  in  the  technical  part  of  the  process  lies  solely  in  the  manu¬ 
facturing  of  a  sheet  of  coated  paper,  the  coating  of  which  is  able  to 
disappear  in  certain  parts  only  under  the  action  of  washing  or  friction, 
while  other  parts  retain  their  color.  This  paper  will  give  us  an  image,  but 
it  is  the  artist  who  will  “do  the  rest’’.  He  will  make  the  picture. 


* 


* 


J GETTY  RESEARCH  INSTITUTE 


3125  01050  7982 


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